Key Tests To Come On Arctic Refuge Protection And Sound Energy Bill
As the new home of NMPIRG's environmental work,
Environment New Mexico can be contacted with any questions regarding this
news release.
The
U.S. Senate has failed to make the grade on a national energy bill,
according to an energy report card released today by a coalition of
environmental groups. "With key tests yet to come on drilling in the
pristine Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, protecting families and other
energy policies, the Senate has so far failed to make the grade for a
smarter, cleaner, and more secure energy future," said Jennifer de
Garmo, state director of the Rio Grande Chapter of the Sierra Club.
"The
Senate Energy bill, under the leadership of Senator Daschle and Senator
Bingaman, began as a promising step toward a smarter, cleaner energy
future, and a far cry from the dirty, dangerous House energy bill and
Bush/Cheney energy plan, which were written by the polluters, for the
polluters. Unfortunately, in vote after vote, the Senate bill has been
plundered by polluters," said Jeanne Bassett, Executive Director of
NMPIRG. "The Senate has left for Spring Break with a bill that fails to
reduce our dependence on imported oil, fails to significantly increase
our nation's energy security, fails to protect energy consumers, and
fails to safeguard our environment," she added.
According
to the report, at a minimum, forward-thinking energy legislation should
reduce consumption of oil by one million barrels a day, guarantee that
at least 10% of electricity supplies come from new clean renewable
energy resources, cut subsidies to polluting energy sources, ensure a
reliable and consumer-friendly electric system, reduce pollution to our
air, land and water, and safeguard the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
and other wild places. The groups releasing the report card, including
NMPIRG, Sierra Club, Defenders of Wildlife and the Natural Resources
Defense Council, called on Senators Bingaman and Domenici to oppose
further attempts to pollute this bill with special interest handouts
and drill in our last pristine wilderness areas, in particular the
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The groups also called on Senators to
ensure that any energy bill which emerges from the Senate solves,
rather than exacerbates, our nation's overall energy problems.
With
a vote on drilling the pristine Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and
other energy issues expected when the Senate returns from the Spring
Recess, the coalition highlighted the following amendments in
evaluating the Senate's progress on energy:
·
Polluting Sources of Energy: Despite the fact that no sound solution
exists for dealing with deadly radioactive waste from nuclear power
plants, the Senate voted 78 to 21 on an amendment by Senator Voinovich
(R-OH) to extend the life of dirty and dangerous nuclear power by using
taxpayer dollars to extend liability insurance to the industry in case
of a catastrophic nuclear accident. It also unanimously passed an
amendment by Senator Craig (R-ID) to use taxpayer dollars to construct
new nuclear plants by 2010.
·
Automobile Miles Per Gallon Standards (CAFE): By a vote of 62-38, the
Senate passed an amendment offered by Senators Levin (D-MI) and Bond
(R-MO) to strip the only provision to reduce our dependence on foreign
oil-a significant increase in fuel economy standards. The amendment
also compromises public safety by striking vehicle safety standards
from the energy bill. Another amendment by Senator Miller (D-GA)
actually weakens current law by creating a new loophole that exempts
pickup trucks from any future increases in fuel economy standards.
·
Renewable Energy Standards: By a vote of 70-29, the Senate rejected an
amendment by Senator Jeffords (I-VT) to increase the percentage of
electricity generated from renewable sources to 20% by 2020, passing up
a golden opportunity to create jobs and protect the environment.
Senators later rejected efforts by Senator Kyl (R-AZ) and Murkowski
(R-AK) to strip or gut the renewable portfolio standard in the
underlying bill, but accepted an amendment by Senator Bingaman (D-NM)
that weakens the renewable standard and could encourage more toxic
mercury-emitting garbage incinerators and logging in our national
forests.
·
Weaken Drinking Water Protections: Senators Bingaman (D-NM) and Inhofe
(R-OK) offered an amendment that weakens Safe Drinking Water Act
requirements in order to expand oil and gas exploration and
development. One of the techniques used in drilling wells for oil and
gas exploration and extraction is injection of water, sand, and toxic
chemicals, which can pollute underground sources of drinking water. In
effect, the Bingaman-Inhofe amendment blocks regulation of coalbed
methane wells for the duration of new studies and potentially suspends
existing drinking water regulation of all other oil and gas wells at
the end of the studies.
The
Senate leadership has announced plans to complete action on the energy
bill when it returns from its two-week recess on April 9. At that time,
it will likely take up the issue of drilling in the Arctic National
Wildlife Refuge. Pointing to U.S. Geological Survey data that
demonstrates that the Refuge would produce, at current consumption,
only six months worth of oil that would not reach the Lower 48 for ten
years, de Garmo stated, "The Senate's next test after the recess will
be a vote on drilling the Arctic Wildlife Refuge. To study for this
test, they should listen to the overwhelming majority of Americans, who
oppose drilling and support protecting this national treasure."
"The
Senate should pass an energy bill that protects America's special
places like the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, reduces our dependence
on foreign oil by cutting oil consumption, mitigates our over-reliance
on fossil fuels and nuclear power for electricity by significantly
increasing generation from clean renewable sources, and decreases
pollution to our air, land and water," said Bassett. "If the Senate
does anything short of that, it fails to make the grade, and fails the
American public."
