[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 10 (Tuesday, January 24, 2012)]
[House]
[Page H130]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         CLEAN ENERGY IN MAINE

  (Ms. PINGREE of Maine asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute.)
  Ms. PINGREE of Maine. Mr. Speaker, I want to talk for a minute about 
some exciting developments in clean energy in my State of Maine.
  Last week, Energy Secretary Chu released a report detailing the 
enormous potential for tidal energy off of U.S. coasts. There is enough 
there to meet up to one-third of our needs, and he singled out Maine, 
saying, ``These resources can create new industries and new jobs in 
America.''
  He's right, and we're proving it. The Ocean Renewable Power Company 
of Portland is building a tidal power project in Maine that, if all 
goes as planned, will start producing clean, American-made electricity 
as early as this summer.
  Meanwhile, we're welcoming one of the biggest energy companies in the 
world to our State. Statoil from Norway is considering a pilot project 
of large-scale wind turbines that would produce clean electricity while 
floating out of view off our coast. Experts say up to 15,000 jobs can 
be created in my State by offshore wind, good-paying American jobs that 
will help us regain our energy independence.
  This is good news off our coast, Mr. Speaker, for Maine and our 
country.

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