[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 25 (Friday, February 9, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E311]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




TO AMEND TITLE VI OF THE PUBLIC UTILITY REGULATORY POLICIES ACT OF 1978 
TO ESTABLISH A FEDERAL RENEWABLE ENERGY PORTFOLIO STANDARD FOR CERTAIN 
           RETAIL ELECTRIC UTILITIES, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. TOM UDALL

                             of new mexico

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, February 8, 2007

  Mr. UDALL of New Mexico. Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce a 
bill to amend title VI of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 
1978 in order to establish a Federal renewable energy portfolio 
standard for certain retail electric utilities. I would like to thank 
Representatives Platts, Pallone, Udall of Colorado, Shays, DeGette and 
McNerney for their work on this issue and for joining me in introducing 
this legislation.
  This bill will take a modest but important step towards developing 
our country's vast renewable energy resources by requiring retail 
sellers of electricity to use a minimum amount of electricity from 
renewable energy sources. That minimum increases gradually from only 1 
percent in 2010 to a long-term target of 20 percent by 2020.
  Developing our homegrown energy resources will create jobs, save 
consumers money, and bolster rural economies. In addition, diversifying 
our energy supply will increase our energy security and reduce the 
threat of global warming.
  For example, a 2006 analysis by the Union of Concerned Scientists 
found that a standard requiring 20 percent of generation from renewable 
energy sources by the year 2020 would generate over 355,000 new high-
paying jobs. In 2004, the Union of Concerned Scientists, using a 
modified version of the National Energy Modeling System, found that a 
20 percent standard would have virtually no impact on consumer electric 
rates and would actually work to reduce natural gas prices.
  Moreover, they calculated that a 20 percent standard would provide 
$72.6 billion in new capital investments, $15 billion in property tax 
revenues, and more than $17 billion in payments to farmers, ranchers, 
and rural landowners. Consumers would save over $12.6 billion. 
Commercial and industrial users would save $19.1 billion and $17.4 
billion, respectively. And, all of those savings would actually be 
helping us reduce our reliance on foreign sources of energy and our 
impact on global warming.
  The momentum for a national renewable portfolio standard, more simply 
known as an RPS, has been building. A Federal RPS mandate has already 
passed the Senate three times. Twenty-one States and the District of 
Columbia have already enacted renewable portfolio standards of their 
own because they recognize the economic benefits of an RPS. Nine States 
have even increased or accelerated existing standards. The RPS has 
proven itself effective, efficient and popular. It is time to bring 
those benefits to the rest of the Nation.
  This bill provides for a gradual start, and it has many provisions 
both to help utilities meet the requirement and to reward those 
utilities that meet the requirements ahead of schedule. It allows 
States, many of whom have moved far ahead on this issue, to have 
standards that are more rigorous than the Federal standards, and it 
provides incentives for the distributed generation of renewable energy 
and for the development of renewable energy resources on tribal lands.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in support of this legislation.

                          ____________________