[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 22 (Wednesday, February 4, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E204]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              INTRODUCTION OF THE SAVE AMERICAN ENERGY ACT

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                         HON. EDWARD J. MARKEY

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 4, 2009

  Mr. MARKEY. Madam Speaker, today I am introducing the ``Save American 
Energy Act'' to obtain the significant benefits of cost-effective, 
environmentally friendly, energy efficiency resources. These energy 
efficiency standards will not only lead to lower global warming 
emissions but will also create jobs, reduce the need for new power 
plants, and save consumers money. As President Obama clearly 
articulated, energy efficiency is the cleanest, cheapest, fastest 
source of energy. The legislation that I am introducing today follows 
President Obama's stated goal of reducing electricity demand 15 percent 
by 2020 by creating an energy efficiency resource standard, EERS.
  Reducing electricity consumption 15 percent by 2020 will save 
consumers $130 billion over the next 20 years and reduce carbon dioxide 
emissions by more than 5 billion tons through 2030. The Save American 
Energy Act sets minimum levels of electricity and natural gas savings 
to be achieved through utility programs, building codes, appliance 
standards, and other efficiency measures. This legislation will 
initially create a modest savings requirement of 1 percent for 
electricity and three-quarters of a percent for natural gas and 
gradually build to a 15 percent cumulative requirement for electricity 
and ten percent for natural gas in 2020.
  The benefits of energy efficiency standards are clear and far-
reaching. First, energy efficiency standards will dramatically reduce 
the global warming emissions that are creating the climate crisis. 
Energy efficiency is the easiest and quickest way that we as a Nation 
can take action to reduce emissions. These energy efficiency savings 
would reduce carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 260 million 
metric tons per year by 2020--the equivalent of the annual emissions 
from 43 million automobiles.
  Second, energy efficiency standards will create jobs and can help 
revitalize our economy. The Save American Energy Act will lead to the 
creation of 260,000 new green-collar jobs. These jobs will be 
everything from retrofitting buildings to weatherizing homes. At a time 
when the American economy lost nearly 2 million jobs in the last 4 
months of 2008, according to the Department of Labor, passing an energy 
efficiency standard can help send people back to work doing the work 
that most needs to be done.
  Third, energy efficiency standards will decrease peak electricity 
demand. Savings from efficiency can be done far more cheaply than 
bringing new generation online. New generation from conventional 
resources costs somewhere between $0.073 and $0.145 per kilowatt hour 
compared to $0.03 per kilowatt hour from energy efficiency savings. The 
Save American Energy Act will reduce peak electricity demand by about 
90,000 megawatts in 2020. This reduction would eliminate the need to 
build 300 medium-sized new power plants.
  Fourth, The Save American Energy Act will result in billions of 
dollars in consumer savings on their energy bills. This bill allows for 
numerous cost-effective efficiency savings in every area of the 
economy. The legislation that I am introducing today requires utilities 
to obtain energy efficiency savings that are available at a lower cost 
than traditional energy supply options.
  Many States around the country have already implemented successful 
efficiency standards. Vermont and California are two of the States 
leading the way and and 15 States and the District of Columbia have put 
in place policies promoting energy efficiency. The Save American Energy 
Act would set a federal efficiency standard but allows States with 
programs that meet or exceed that standard to administer the program 
directly, fostering policy innovation and adaptation to local 
circumstances.
  The Save American Energy Act will take advantage of the cost-
effective, available energy efficiency opportunities that can be 
quickly put in place. Adopting a national energy efficiency standard 
will allow us to reduce carbon emissions, create new green jobs, and 
reduce the need to build power plants: all while benefiting customers. 
The time to act is now.

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