Lugar Offers Practical Energy and Climate Plan
Energy secretary issues response to proposed bill.
Compiled by staff
Published: Jun 10, 2010
Senator Richard Lugar, R-Ind., has unveiled what he calls the practical energy and climate plan. According to a summary, Lugar's bill is designed to reduce dependence on foreign oil by 40% by 2030, through steps including tighter federal fuel economy standards and incentives for the purchase of fuel-efficient vehicles. It would establish benchmarks for an increasing amount of electricity to be generated from low-carbon sources, including renewables and nuclear power.
The Lugar offering is already receiving words of support from two key legislators. Lisa Murkowski, the ranking Republican on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, said she is looking forward to supporting it. Additionally, Lugar's office said South Carolina Republican Lindsey Graham is supporting the bill.
This new offering would seemingly threaten Democratic efforts to advance a climate change bill. Democrats continue to struggle to court Republicans votes for a cap-and-trade climate change measure.
Energy Secretary Steven Chu also responded to Lugar's "Practical Energy and Climate Plan Act of 2010," saying that he appreciated Lugar's ideas for reducing America's oil dependence, which has taken on greater urgency as a result of the BP oil spill.
"Even as we focus on efficiency, we also need a broad approach that includes building the next generation of nuclear power plants, deploying technologies to burn coal more cleanly, significantly expanding renewable power generation and a host of other clean energy technologies," Chu said. "I continue to believe that to fully capitalize on these opportunities we need comprehensive legislation that puts a price on carbon and makes clean energy the profitable kind of energy."
Chu went on to say that moving to a clean energy future is in the interests of all Americans, and it should not be a partisan issue.
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