Issue Position: Energy

Issue Position

Issue Position: Energy

Energy

Our energy future is closely tied to our prosperity and the future of our planet. Currently, our nation faces an energy crisis out of which we are not going to be able to dig or drill our way. Family budgets have been battered by wild fluctuations in oil prices, and our reliance on dirty energy has accelerated the severe effects of climate change.

As a member of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, I am committed to helping craft energy policy that emphas clean energy and energy efficiency. By spurring innovation and development of modern energy sources, we have the opportunity to help families save money, create new jobs and clean our air.

On the flip side, energy policy that is based on giving oil companies new areas to drill -- including areas along the Jersey Shore -- merely digs us in a deeper hole of energy costs and dirty emissions.

New Jersey is well situated to be a national leader in energy efficiency and renewable sources of energy, with significant development and production of technologies such as LED lighting, solar energy (New Jersey is second only to California), and the potential to harness wind and tidal energy. Federal investment in research and development into green technology will not only create good jobs in New Jersey, but will provide clean sources of energy to help protect our environment.

Highlights

* Energy efficiency -- Created the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants program as part of the 2007 energy bill. This program, funded with $3.2 billion in the 2009 economic recovery package, helps create jobs, provide local tax relief, ensure local services and clean the air we breathe. The grants invest in energy efficiency projects undertaken by cities, towns and counties. It lowers their energy costs and provides local budget relief.

* Solar power and LED lighting -- Author of provisions enacted into law in the economic recovery package to boost use of solar power and manufacturing of LED lighting. The provisions create a nationwide program that supports local governments wishing to help homeowners install solar panels and incentivize the production of the next generation of energy efficient lighting.

* Consumer access to solar power --Author of Solar Opportunity and Local Access Rights (SOLAR) Act, which would make it easier for consumers to install solar cells on their property by ensuring that utility companies allow alternative energy generators to connect to the power grid, and guarantee that excess power generated by these sources can be sold back to the utility at a fair rate. The bill would also help protect prospective consumers from exorbitant permitting and licensing fees.

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