Congressional 'Clean Fourteen' Honored for Advancing Renewable Energy in America; Members of House and Senate Win Awards

10/2/2002

From: Michael Paranzino, 202-253-4863 or Karl Gawell, 202-454-5264 both for The Renewable Energy Alliance

WASHINGTON, Oct. 2 -- The Renewable Energy Alliance, comprised of America's most promising renewable energy industries, is awarding its first annual Renewable Energy Leadership Awards today.

The "Clean Fourteen" -- a tripartisan group of six Republicans, seven Democrats, and one Independent from the House and Senate -- are being honored during meetings with renewable energy industry leaders. Each of the 14 has shown extraordinary commitment to advancing the development and deployment of clean energy across America.

"Renewable energy is cleaning our environment while reducing America's dependence on foreign energy sources," said Karl Gawell, Executive Director of the Geothermal Energy Association. "These Congressional leaders have been the true champions of clean energy, fighting the good fight on behalf of America's families."

The winners are:

-- Sen. Wayne Allard (R-CO) -- Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) -- Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-ND) -- Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA) -- Sen. James Jeffords (I-VT) -- Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) -- Rep. Mark Udall (D-CO) -- Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT) -- Rep. Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY) -- Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA) -- Rep. Jay Inslee (D-WA) -- Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE) -- Sen. Gordon Smith (R-OR) -- Rep. Zach Wamp (R-TN)

Brief commendations for each winner follow. A schedule of award presentations, to which media are invited, is available here: http://www.seia.org/reaschedule.htm, by contacting the individual Member's office, or through either press contact listed above.

The Renewable Energy Alliance is comprised of the American Bioenergy Association, American Wind Energy Association, Environmental and Energy Study Institute, Geothermal Energy Association, National Hydropower Association, and Solar Energy Industries Association.

These industries are growing rapidly and today employ tens of thousands of Americans working to enhance our nation's energy security.

Renewable Energy Award Winners Member-specific Commendations

-- Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY) Congressman Boehlert has been a long time friend and supporter of renewable energy. As Chairman of the House Science Committee, he has been instrumental in ensuring that renewable energy be given fair treatment in pending comprehensive energy legislation. Congressman Boehlert challenged the Administration for proposing cuts to renewable energy research funding in fiscal year 2001 and successfully raised authorization levels, in turn improving the appropriations outcome for important renewable energy programs. Congressman Boehlert has been particularly supportive of biomass energy, going to bat for several key constituents in New York who have been working to convert biomass residues to electricity, fuels, and chemicals. While part of House leadership, he has not been afraid to stand up to colleagues in his own party when needed in support of renewable energy and other environmentally sustainable technologies.

-- Duncan Hunter (R-CA) Congressman Hunter has been a leader in the 107th Congress in support of tax incentives for renewable energy technologies. He drafted legislation that served as a rallying point for pending comprehensive energy legislation. The Hunter proposal represented a policy-based approach to promoting both small and large renewable energy development through tax incentives, and recognized the needs of all of the renewable technologies. Working with renewable energy advocates and Democratic colleague Mark Udall of Colorado, Congressman Hunter's bipartisan legislation gathered nearly 50 co-sponsors in just a few months. Hunter's work in support of renewable energy will help California's booming renewable energy industries create more jobs for his state.

-- Jay Inslee (D-WA) Congressman Inslee has been an energetic and creative supporter of renewable energy. His "Home Energy Generation Act" would allow families, farms, and small businesses that generate their own clean energy, like solar and wind, to sell their excess power to the local utility. He championed clean energy tax incentives during the House debate on comprehensive energy legislation by introducing the bipartisan Clean Energy Incentives Act, and was among the first to call for expansion of the Production Tax Credit (PTC) to include all renewable technologies. In addition, he consistently sought out opportunities to advance renewable energy in other legislation, including his successful clean energy amendments to the Export-Import Bank Re-authorization Act and the Farm Bill.

-- Mark Udall (D-CO) Congressman Udall is among the most passionate and effective proponents of renewable energy in Congress. As the lead Democrat on the bipartisan House Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Caucus, he has built the Caucus Membership to one-half of the entire U.S. House of Representatives. He served as co-author of successful amendments to boost funding for cutting-edge renewable energy research. He is also a co-author of several other important measures, including an energy efficient schools provision and clean energy tax incentive legislation. He is currently working with others to urge House adoption of a Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) that would increase the use of clean energy nationwide.

-- Zach Wamp (R-TN) Congressman Wamp is an effective and energetic supporter of renewable energy. He used his position on the House Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee to almost double the core renewable energy research budget requested by the Administration last year. His effort also succeeded in convincing the Administration to be more supportive of renewable energy research. As the Republican Chairman of the bipartisan House Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Caucus, Congressman Wamp helped the Caucus grow to include more than 200 Members. He has also been a lead sponsor of major clean energy tax incentive legislation and recently co-signed a letter supporting a Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) that would increase the use of clean energy nationwide.

Senate:

-- Wayne Allard (R-CO) Senator Allard is a committed champion of renewable energy whose work has brought renewable energy research funding to Colorado and expanded clean energy use in the nation. He is a founding member of the Senate Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Caucus, which boasts an ideological range stemming from Senators Jesse Helms to Ted Kennedy. He also has been instrumental in securing funding for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden. Senator Allard is also the author of legislation that would provide a tax credit to homeowners who add solar power to their homes, and an outspoken supporter of expanding the production tax credit to include all renewable energy technologies. These provisions could become law later this month.

-- Max Baucus (D-MT) Senator Baucus has been a leader in finding innovative solutions to environmental problems, which was demonstrated in his authorship of the Clean Air Act of 1990, and in the 107th Congress in his role in crafting the Senate Energy Bill's tax incentive package, which passed through his Finance Committee unanimously and was incorporated into the Senate Energy Bill with strong bipartisan support. The Senate tax bill provides a range of renewable incentives that would provide a stimulus to grid-connected power, distributed generation, and other uses of clean, renewable energy. These provisions of the Senate Energy bill were widely hailed as favoring development and deployment of cutting-edge, clean energy technologies across America.

-- Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) Senator Bingaman is a true leader in renewable energy. During his four terms in the Senate, he has consistently battled for a broader role for renewable energy technologies in the U.S. energy portfolio. As Chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, Senator Bingaman has worked in a bipartisan manner to craft an energy bill that includes historic firsts for renewables. The bill includes expanded tax credits, a renewable portfolio standard (RPS), a renewable fuels standard, and significant research and development funding authorization. He currently is negotiating with his House counterparts and the White House to finalize an energy bill that will ensure the expanded use of renewable energy across America, helping to clean our environment and enhance our energy security.

-- Byron Dorgan (D-ND) Senator Dorgan, who serves as Co-Chair of the Senate Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Caucus, has been a tireless champion of renewable energy. North Dakota ranks first in the nation in wind energy potential and Senator Dorgan has carried that message both in Washington and at home by introducing legislation to extend the Wind Energy Production Tax Credit and organizing a state wind energy conference in North Dakota that drew over 700 participants. Senator Dorgan has also been a strong supporter of the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) and has used his seat on the Senate Appropriations Committee to advocate for increased research and development funding for all renewables at the Department of Energy.

-- Charles Grassley (R-IA) Senator Grassley has been a leader in renewable energy, particularly supporting wind and biomass energy efforts. He offered legislation in the 107th Congress to extend the wind energy production tax credit and to expand the tax credit to include open loop biomass. He then worked closely with members of both parties and both Houses of Congress to ensure that comprehensive energy legislation includes significantly expanded renewable energy tax incentives. His state of Iowa has seen tremendous advances in renewable energy development. Senator Grassley has used the example set in Iowa to further the cause of renewables on a federal level and has proven himself to be an effective workhorse for renewable energy.

-- James Jeffords (I-VT) One of the staunchest and most passionate supporters of renewable energy in the Congress, Senator Jeffords has worked hard to develop the renewables research programs. He is the sponsor of numerous amendments to boost renewable funding and the author of many congressional letters on this subject. He championed the most aggressive Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) offered this Congress -- a proposal to guarantee that 20 percent of our electricity generation comes from renewables by 2020. He used his position as Chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee to promote his legislation to encourage utilities and power plant generators to substitute clean renewables for fossil fuel production.

-- Ben Nelson (D-NE) Senator Nelson has built a strong record in support of hydropower, biomass, ethanol and other renewable energy sources. He played a key role in advancing the most important hydropower legislation in many years. By taking the lead on a bipartisan amendment with Senators Larry Craig and Gordon Smith to reform the hydropower licensing process, Senator Nelson helped achieve successful resolution of this issue in the Senate. He continues to press his colleagues on both sides of the aisle for adoption of his Senate-adopted language. Senator Nelson has also been an avid proponent of biomass and a Renewable Fuels Standard, working hard to ensure that the energy bill contains an incentive for biomass ethanol. The Senator understands the need to use home grown resources to reduce dependence on overseas petroleum.

-- Harry Reid (D-NV) Senator Reid skillfully uses his Senate positions -- Majority Whip and Chair of the Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee -- to maximize funding for renewable energy research programs. He has also authored a successful budget amendment calling for increased authorizations for renewables. Additionally, he's the author of an important tax relief bill that would extend the duration of the Production Tax Credit (PTC), as well as expand its use to geothermal and solar as well as allowing municipal utilities to benefit by making the credit transferable. Senator Reid's proposed tax legislation was in large part the template for the Senate's tax provisions in the National Energy Bill. Reid's tenacious support for clean energy sources has helped the U.S. renewable energy industries grow.

-- Gordon Smith (R-OR) Senator Smith has for years been a leading advocate for responsible hydropower policies in the United States Senate. During the 107th Congress, he worked with Senators Larry Craig and Ben Nelson to add important language to their hydropower licensing amendment to the Senate Energy bill, which was passed by the Senate. He also supported the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) that was included in the final Senate bill. In addition, he co-sponsored important bipartisan tax legislation that would extend the duration of the Production Tax Credit as well as expand it to include geothermal and solar and allow municipal utilities to benefit by making the credit transferable. The Reid-Smith proposed tax legislation was in large part the template for the Senate's tax provisions in the National Energy Bill.