[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 106 (Friday, July 29, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1731-E1732]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 6, ENERGY POLICY ACT OF 2005

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. JERRY F. COSTELLO

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 28, 2005

  Mr. COSTELLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 6, the 
Energy Policy Act of 2005 Conference Report. Completion of this energy 
bill is yet another step forward in our struggle for energy security 
and independence. A reliable and affordable energy supply is crucial to 
America's economic vitality, security, and quality of life.
  While this final conference report is not perfect, we continue to 
make progress towards promoting energy conservation and efficiency; 
increasing the use of all domestic energy resources, including coal; 
improving energy infrastructure; and promoting the development of 
advanced energy technologies.
  The combustion of fossil fuels is essential to our energy policy and 
must continue to be a part of a balanced energy plan for this country. 
Coal is absolutely critical to our nation's economic health and global 
competitiveness. Coal accounts for more than 50 percent of U.S. 
electricity generation, far ahead of nuclear power, natural gas, 
hydroelectric power, petroleum and other sources. There is no present 
alternative to coal to meet our energy needs. New and improved 
technologies hold the promise of far greater emissions reductions and 
increased efficiency.
  Clean coal provisions are included in the final conference report 
that would assist in burning coal more efficiently and cleanly. These 
clean coal technology initiatives encourage the development of new 
technologies for cleaner, higher efficiency coal combustion in new and 
established plants with the hope of achieving a healthier environment 
while maintaining jobs. Specifically, the conference agreement includes 
a $1.8 billion authorization for the Secretary of Energy to carry out 
the Clean Coal Power Initiative, which will provide funding to those 
projects that can demonstrate advanced coal-based power generating 
technologies that achieve significant reductions in emissions. Further, 
the bill authorizes $1.14 billion for coal research and development. I 
fought hard for robust funding for coal within the fossil energy 
research and development budget and I was glad to see they were 
included in the final version.
  Additionally, I authored two provisions which were retained in the 
final conference report and greatly benefit Southern Illinois. First, I 
secured $75 million to create a program to develop advanced 
technologies to remove carbon dioxide from coal emissions and 
permanently sequester it below ground. Illinois is one of the leading 
states when it comes to research on carbon sequestration and Southern 
Illinois is listed as one of the prime spots for carbon sequestration, 
which is one of the technologies the FutureGen project is designed to 
use. Second, the bill authorizes the Clean Coal Centers of Excellence. 
Under this provision, the Secretary of Energy will award competitive, 
merit-based grants to universities that show the greatest potential for 
advancing new clean coal technologies. Southern Illinois University 
Carbondale (SIUC), which I represent, continues to be a leader in clean 
coal technology research, doing extensive work at its Coal Research 
Center. With funding and collaborative support from industry and 
government, SIUC has conducted long-term projects relating to surface 
mine reclamation, mine subsidence, coal desulfurization, coal 
characterization and combustion, coal residue management and 
utilization, coal market modeling, and environmental policy. Faculty, 
staff, and students in fields as diverse as engineering, science, 
business, education, law, and agriculture have contributed to the 
University's international reputation in coal research. The past two 
energy conference reports named Southern Illinois University as a 
``Clean Coal Center of Excellence'' and the school is well-positioned 
to be a potential recipient of the award again this year. It is a 
testament to SIUC's high caliber research program that it was also 
named as a university to study and commercially deploy transportation 
fuel technology using Illinois coal. Finally, I am pleased this 
legislation promotes clean fuels by providing tax incentives for clean 
coal technology. This will greater enhance our ability to use Illinois 
basin coal.
  In addition to the clean coal provisions, the energy conference 
agreement contains provisions instrumental in helping increase 
conservation and lowering consumption. Included in this are ethanol 
provisions that are used as a replacement and additive for gasoline 
consumption. Illinois currently produces 800 million gallons of ethanol 
per year. Under this legislation, ethanol use would increase, nearly 
doubling the current production level. The renewable fuel standard 
(RFS) in the bill is expected to increase the average price of corn 
paid to farmers 6.6 percent, or 16 cents per bushel and increase 
average net cash income to farmers by $3.3 billion over the next 
decade, or more than six percent. Increased production of ethanol will 
greatly benefit the agricultural industry in Southern Illinois.
  Mr. Speaker, this energy bill will shape energy policy for the next 
decade and beyond. I

[[Page E1732]]

am glad coal and ethanol remain an integral part of our energy future 
and I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

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