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In May 2006, Senate Democrats revealed a bold new energy legislation to help transform America's energy policy to reduce oil imports by almost 6 million barrels a day by 2020, or about 40% of U.S. projected imports. Dubbed the "Clean Energy Development for a Growing Economy (EDGE) Act", the plan would provide new tools for fostering innovation, investing in workers and infrastructure, and helping level the playing field for new clean energy technologies-including incentives for auto manufacturers to speed up development of advanced fuel efficiency technologies, and requirements for the production of "flex-fuel" vehicles. The legislation is supported by a broad coalition of labor and environmental organizations, including the Apollo Alliance, NRDC and the UAW.
United Auto Workers President, Ron Gettelfinger said, "The UAW believes that these provisions in the Clean EDGE initiative would help to ensure that the United States retains a robust domestic auto industry that provides good paying jobs for American workers, while producing the cars and trucks of the future for consumers. In addition, these provisions would set our country on a path towards a cleaner environment and greater energy security."
The bill includes the following key elements:
- Reducing Our Dependence on Foreign Oil - The legislation seeks to reduce our dependence on foreign oil by 40% by cutting U.S. oil use by nearly 6 million barrels a day in 2020.
- Transitioning to Clean Home Grown Fuels - The Clean EDGE Act of 2006 aims to increase the number of flex fuel vehicles that can run on both gas and ethanol to half of all new U.S. vehicles sold by 2020. Furthermore, it mandates an increase in the number of gas stations selling alternative fuels.
- Supporting Clean Energy and Good Jobs - It also acts as a catalyst for clean energy and good jobs by setting a national "renewable portfolio standard" that requires 10% of all electricity to come from renewable sources by 2020.
- Ending Giveaways to Big Oil - The bill pays for itself by ending some subsidies to big oil and restricting certain oil industry incentives including royalty waivers. Furthermore, the legislation would make price gouging a federal crime.
- Investing in American Jobs and Industry - The Clean EDGE Act will create a clean energy investment administration to help deploy renewable power and related manufacturing technology. It also invests in education programs to develop a skilled domestic workforce, to create good new clean energy jobs.
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In May 2006, Democrats in the House of Representatives introduced a plan to invest in America, grow domestic energy, and establish energy independence. Developed by the Rural Working Group, the "Energizing America Act" would rapidly expand the production and distribution of biofuels, encourage the deployment of new engine technologies for flex fuel, hybrid and biodiesel vehicles, and encourage cutting-edge research to develop the next revolution in renewable energy.The bill includes the following key elements:
- Increasing Production of American-Made Biofuels - The bill would double the percentage of renewable fuels sold in America in six years, while making sure that biodiesel and cellulosic sources are a key part of that increase. It would also extend the credit for ethanol and biodiesel through 2015 and increase tax benefits to small biofuel producers.
- Expanding the Market for Distribution of Biofuels - The legislation would increase the percentage of flex fuel vehicles that run on ethanol or gasoline. It would mandate that within seven years, 75% of all cars made in America would be flex fuel cars. It would also increase the number of gas sttions offering ethanol and biodiesel through new incentives and requirements.
- Researching and Developing to Improve Use of Renewable Energy - The bill would require investment in biofuels research to make biofuel production more efficient, and environmentally sound. It would also foster new vehicle efficient technologies through research and development.
- Encouraging Local Domestic Ownership - The bill would provide federal incentives to smaller ethanol and biofuels plants, so that independent, locally-owned facilities that produce biofuels can grow and thrive, improving our rural communities.
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