Donnelly's Energy Policies Leave Hoosiers on Empty
Donnelly's Energy Policies Leave Hoosiers on Empty
Joe Donnelly has repeatedly and consistently criticized Congressman Chocola for supporting the bi-partisan Energy Bill (HR 6), which passed the House 275-156 with 75 Democrats supporting it. The bill put in place policies and incentives to increase the production and use of ethanol, bio-diesel and clean coal, and encourage the creation of new refineries. If Joe Donnelly had his way, none of these provisions, which benefit Hoosier consumers and farmers and move America toward fuel independence, would have become law.
The Energy bill included a Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) that mandated a minimum of 7.5 billion gallons of ethanol and bio-diesel be used across the nation by the year 2012. This provision was a significant victory for Hoosier farmers who produce the corn and soybeans that will be used in ethanol and bio-diesel production, the thousands of Hoosiers that are employed by ethanol and bio-diesel plants, and consumers who will pay less at the pump and become less reliant on foreign sources of energy. Indiana has positioned itself as a leader in the renewable fuel industry, and this bill helped expand the market for Hoosier farmers and fuel producers, and the impact can already be seen. Indiana has announced 12 new ethanol plants and three new bio-diesel plants that are expected to bring $1.77 billion in capital investment into the state.
"We must end our nation's dependence on foreign sources of oil. The incentives included in last year's energy bill are an important first step in that process, and we are already seeing the benefits right here in Indiana," said Chocola. "Prior to the incentives for ethanol and bio-diesel, Indiana had only one ethanol plant and one bio-diesel plant. Today because of the incentives we provided in the energy bill, there are 12 new ethanol plants and three new bio-diesel plants on the books throughout the state. In the short term this means thousands of jobs for Hoosier workers and farmers, and long term it will significantly reduce our dependence on foreign sources of oil."
The Energy Bill provided incentives to improve energy production, transportation, and efficiency. The breakdown of those incentives follows:
* $2.7 billion in incentives for energy efficiency and conservation measures for things like increased ethanol and bio-diesel production, as well as tax credits for hybrid cars and energy efficient homes.
* $2.9 billion in incentives for clean coal energy production to help us increase our electricity production while protecting our environment. Indiana is the 8th largest coal mining state in the nation, accounting for more then 4,000 jobs. Additionally, 96% of all electricity in Indiana is produced by coal-powered generation.
* $2.9 billion in incentives for renewable and clean energy incentives. This is for things like wind and solar power which make us less reliant on foreign sources of energy
* $2.6 billion in incentives for oil and gas production and refining. We have not built a new refinery in this nation since 1976. This provision is crucial for increasing our refining capacity and makes us less dependant on foreign sources of oil. Our refineries currently run at 97% capacity.
* $3.1 billion for upgrading our electrical grid, which increases our electrical reliability and prevents the types of blackouts we have seen around the country over the last few years.
"Donnelly's opposition to this bill would have directly harmed families and farmers in Indiana," said Chocola spokesman Brooks Kochvar. "Joe Donnelly has given every indication that he would have voted against the H.R. 6, the Energy Bill, which means Donnelly opposes the legislation that increased domestic production of renewable fuels, and limits our dependence on foreign sources of energy. Donnelly should explain to the voters of the 2nd District how they would be better off if these positive provisions had not become law."
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