Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2012

Mr. Chair, I strongly oppose H.R. 2354, which underfunds important clean energy priorities at a cost to the American public's health and welfare. Fiscal discipline is an important goal, and I support efforts to think critically about how to put the nation on a sound fiscal path. However this bill fails to accomplish that. This appropriations bill cuts funding for energy efficiency and renewable energy development programs that help American homeowners save money on their utility bills. At the same time, the bill increases funding for fossil fuel technologies, which have no need of tax incentives or financial support, and which increase the level of harmful air and water pollution.

* Energy efficiency and renewable energy programs offer the best chance that our nation has to become more energy independent and reduce climate-change inducing pollutants. Yet this bill cuts total funding for the Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy by 27 percent and cuts Advanced Research Projects Agency--Energy by 44 percent compared to FY11. These clean energy programs have helped drive strong growth in solar and wind generation over the past decade, while reducing the costs of these technologies significantly. ARPA-E's support for path-breaking advanced technologies could hold the key to our energy future. In the long run, these cuts will mean less innovation, dirtier energy, and fewer clean energy jobs. This is absolutely the wrong way to drive American leadership and energy independence.

* Two programs that have been improving our energy security while helping households to keep down their utilities bills are the Weatherization Assistance Program, WAP, and the State Energy Program, SEP. These programs target residential buildings, reducing the burden on low-income families by an average of 35 percent of utility bills and supporting local economies. The State Energy Program encourages innovative technologies and leverages Federal funds; since 2006, the State of Oregon has leveraged approximately $27 in non-federal funds for every $1 of SEP funds spent. These programs have demonstrated success, yet H.R. 2354 severely cuts funding. In Oregon alone, these cuts would mean that an estimated 374 families would no longer be eligible for weatherization assistance. For these reasons, I support the amendment offered by Representatives Tonko and Bass that would increase WAP and SEP funding by $141.3 million and $25 million, respectively.

* In addition to handicapping energy innovation, the bill also includes a very damaging policy rider that would undermine the Clean Water Act. This rider would prevent the Army Corps of Engineers from restoring Clean Water Act protections to many rivers, streams and wetlands that supply drinking water and prevent flooding. Over 100 million Americans get their drinking water from public supplies provided in whole or in part from waters that are at risk of losing Clean Water Act safeguards. The recent flood events around the country have demonstrated some of the problems with wetlands losses, and these would be made even worse by blocking the Army Corps' ability to protect these waters.

* Amendments passed on the Floor during debate mostly made this bad bill even worse. For example, I voted against an amendment by Rep. Burgess that would prevent important new efficiency standards for light bulbs from going into effect. These standards, passed as part of the 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act, are supported by industry and consumer groups as well as efficiency advocates. They would mean $100 in savings for the average American family per year. I'm disappointed in the passage of this amendment to prevent DOE from enforcing these standards.

* Now is the time to be putting America on track toward a clean energy future, and working to reduce the damage to our water and air quality that harm public health. I support policies to create a green energy economy, to reduce dependence on foreign oil, to support advanced technologies and cost-saving energy-efficient systems for homes and businesses, and to protect the health and well-being of the nation's health and environment. Unfortunately, this appropriations bill is detrimental to all of those goals.

Source