Bill will reduce oil consumption, Develop Clean Transportation Options
Washington, DC - Today, Senators Jeff Merkley, Tom Carper and Tom
Udall introduced the Oil Independence for a Stronger America Act.
Environment New Hampshire’s Federal Global Warming Program Director Nathan
Willcox issued the following statement in response:
“The tragic events unfolding in the Gulf of Mexico have awakened the
public to the dangers of America’s dependence on oil. Our oil
consumption pollutes our air, endangers our climate, enriches our
enemies, undermines our economic and national security, and is now
responsible for the greatest environmental disaster in American
history. It will take decades for the ecology and economy of the Gulf
region to recover from the BP disaster. In the meantime, we must
immediately enact the policies necessary to transition our economy away
from oil dependence and towards a future of clean transportation.
“The bill introduced by Senators Merkley, Carper and Udall is the
most ambitious and comprehensive effort to reduce America’s dependence
on oil ever introduced in the United States Senate. Environment New Hampshire applauds the bold leadership of these three Senators, and calls
on the rest of the United States Senate to join these visionaries and
pass this legislation.
“The most important aspect of this bill is an ambitious national oil
savings goal of 8 million barrels per day of oil by 2030. That would
be the equivalent of all the oil the United States gets from offshore
drilling, from Canadian dirty fuels, and from the Middle East put
together. Saving 8 million barrels per day of oil would reduce
America’s emissions of global warming pollution by over a billion
metric tons per year, the equivalent of 15% of our total national
emissions.
“This bill will invest in the technology and the infrastructure that
will create American jobs and ensure that the United States leads in
producing the energy sources of the future. The bill will help inspire
the next revolution in automobile technology, providing billions in
funding for electric vehicle infrastructure and advanced battery
technology. It will redirect transportation infrastructure spending
towards projects that increase fuel efficiency and provide families and
business with greater transportation choices. And it will ensure that
the cars and trucks that we build today are built with the most
efficient designs achievable. All these steps will create jobs, reduce
the trade deficit, and save Americans billions of dollars in
transportation costs.
“The Oil Independence for a Stronger America Act represents a
critical investment in America’s future. Environment New Hampshire looks
forward to working with Senators Merkley, Udall and Carper to make this
vision a reality for our nation.”
