For Immediate Release:
March 28, 2002 | Contact:
Steve Blackledge, NHPIRG 229-3222
Catherine Corkery, Sierra Club 224-8222 |
Read the report: Failing Grades: How The Senate Energy Bill Fails To Secure A New Energy Future
As the new home of NHPIRG’s environmental work, Environment New Hampshire may be contacted regarding this release.
Concord-Senator
Smith failed to make the grade with his votes on the national energy
bill, according to an energy report card entitled "Failing Grades: How
the Senate energy bill fails to secure a new energy future." Out of
five votes scored, Senator Smith failed to cast one positive vote,
according the report's authors. Senator Gregg fared slightly better,
receiving a D for casting two positive votes out of the five scored.
"The
Senate as a whole has thus far failed to make the grade for a smarter,
cleaner, and more secure energy future," said Steve Blackledge, New
Hampshire Public Interest Research Group (NHPIRG) director. "Frankly,
Senator Smith's votes have been a big part of the problem."
At
a minimum, forward-thinking energy legislation should reduce
consumption of oil by at least one million barrels a day, guarantee
that at least 10% of electricity supplies come from new clean renewable
energy, cut subsidies to polluting energy sources, ensure a reliable
and consumer-friendly electric system, reduce pollution to our air,
land and water, and safeguard the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and
other wild places, said the groups releasing the report card, including
NHPIRG, Sierra Club, Defenders of Wildlife, and the Natural Resources
Defense Council.
"The
energy bill is unacceptable in its current form," stated Catherine
Corkery, spokesperson for NH Sierra Club. "As it stands now, the Senate
energy bill does nearly nothing to reduce our consumption of foreign
oil, to increase our energy security, to protect families from
electricity price gouging, or to safeguard our environment."
The coalition highlighted the following amendments in evaluating the Senate's progress thus far on energy policy:
-
Polluting
Sources of Energy: Despite the fact that no sound solution exists for
dealing with deadly radioactive waste from nuclear power plants, the
Senate voted 78 to 21 on an amendment (SA2983) by Senator Voinovich
(R-OH) to extend the life of dirty and dangerous nuclear power by using
taxpayer dollars to extend liability insurance to the industry in case
of a catastrophic nuclear accident. Senators Smith and Gregg voted for
this amendment.
-
Automobile
Miles Per Gallon Standards (CAFE): By a vote of 62-38, the Senate
passed an amendment (SA2997) offered by Senators Levin (D-MI) and Bond
(R-MO) to strip the only provision to significantly reduce our
dependence on foreign oil-increased fuel economy standards. In New
Hampshire, consumers would have saved $20 million at the gas pump every
year starting in 2013 from vehicles that went further on a gallon of
gasoline. The amendment also compromises public safety by striking
vehicle safety standards from the energy bill. Senator Smith voted for
this amendment. Senator Gregg rejected it.
-
Renewable
Energy Standards: By a vote of 70-29, the Senate rejected an amendment
(SA3017) by Senator Jeffords (I-VT) to increase the percentage of
electricity generated from renewable sources to 20% by 2020, passing up
a golden opportunity to create jobs and protect the environment.
Senators Smith and Gregg voted against this amendment. Senators later
rejected efforts (SA3038) by Senator Kyl (R-AZ) and Murkowski (R-AK) to
strip or gut the renewable portfolio standard in the underlying bill.
Senator Smith voted for this amendment. Senator Gregg rejected it.
Later the Senate accepted by unanimous consent an amendment by Senator
Bingaman (D-NM) that weakens the renewable standard and could encourage
more toxic mercury-emitting garbage incinerators and logging in our
national forests.
-
Weaken
Drinking Water Protections: By a vote of 78-21, the Senate passed an
amendment (SA2986) offered by Senators Bingaman (D-NM) and Inhofe
(R-OK) that weakens Safe Drinking Water Act requirements in order to
expand oil and gas exploration and development. One of the techniques
used in drilling wells for oil and gas exploration and extraction is
injection of water, sand, and toxic chemicals, which can pollute
underground sources of drinking water. In effect, the Bingaman-Inhofe
amendment blocks regulation of this dangerous practice for the duration
of new studies and potentially permanently, despite the fact that the
courts have ruled that environmental protections should be put in
place. Senators Smith and Gregg voted for this amendment.
The
Senate leadership has announced plans to complete action on the energy
bill when it returns from its two-week recess on April 9. At that time,
it will likely take up the issue of drilling in the Arctic National
Wildlife Refuge.
Pointing
to U.S. Geological Survey data that demonstrates that the Refuge would
produce, at current consumption, only six months worth of oil that
would not reach the Lower 48 for ten years, Blackledge noted that the
Senate's next big vote will determine whether to drill in the Arctic
Wildlife Refuge.
"Senator
Smith has repeatedly stated his opposition to drilling in the Arctic
and can begin to make amends for his previous energy votes by sticking
to his anti-drilling position," concluded Blackledge.
