Statements are below, as released by the RES Alliance for Jobs.
STATEMENT OF LEO GERARD, PRESIDENT, UNITED STEELWORKERS
“It’s extremely encouraging to see the kind of bipartisan leadership from the US Senate that we did today. With the rest of the world moving forward on clean energy, the US can no longer afford to wait for a national renewables policy. A Renewable Electricity Standard like the one introduced today by Senators Dorgan, Bingaman, Brownback and Collins will help protect and create hundreds of thousands of good-paying jobs and keep America in the clean energy race. With the strong support of an overwhelming majority of Americans across the political spectrum, we urge the Senate to pass this bill now.”
STATEMENT OF LEW HAY, CHAIRMAN AND CEO, NextEra ENERGY, INC.
"We face a simple but critical policy choice. Do we want to accelerate the renewable energy industry in the United States and benefit from the advances in technology and direct economic benefits of additional good jobs or not? Sens. Bingaman and Brownback understand that while wind and solar power produce no emissions, they do produce jobs. My message to the Senate is simple: With a national RES in place, we’ll invest billions of additional dollars in renewables and create tens of thousands of jobs. Without an RES, that won’t happen."
STATEMENT OF DON FURMAN, SENIOR VP FOR EXTERNAL RELATIONS, IBERDROLA RENEWABLES
“Senators Bingaman, Brownback, Collins and Dorgan have shown a tremendous amount of leadership by introducing a bipartisan national Renewable Electricity Standard proposal when America needs it most. It’s incredibly encouraging to see this kind of forward-moving action in the U.S. Senate today. These leaders recognize that the U.S. is at risk of losing the manufacturing race to China if we do not act this year, and they know an RES can help ensure that doesn’t happen. We hope the Senate can work urgently to get this legislation passed.”
STATEMENT OF MARCHANT WENTWORTH, DEPUTY LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR, UNION OF CONCERNED SCIENTISTS
“While the renewable electricity standard proposed today is not perfect, the United States absolutely cannot afford to wait any longer to create a national clean energy policy. If passed by the Senate, the bill Senators Bingaman, Brownback, Collins and Dorgan introduced today would represent a significant step toward creating more renewable energy sources. It would keep us in the clean energy race and begin to address the need to reduce carbon emissions from the power sector.”
STATEMENT OF LINDA CHURCH CIOCCI, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, NATIONAL HYDROPOWER ASSOCIATION
“The National Hydropower Association supports a national renewable electricity standard as a way to create tens of thousands of jobs, while expanding clean, reliable hydropower in every state. Along with the extension and expansion of key tax incentives, such as production tax credit parity for hydropower resources and a new investment tax credit for energy storage projects, passing a national RES is crucial to creating jobs and building America’s clean energy resources. We applaud Senators Collins (R-ME), Bingaman (D-NM), Brownback (R-KS) and Dorgan (D-ND) for recognizing the urgent need for a national Renewable Electricity Standard. NHA will continue to work with policymakers and stakeholders on passing an RES that maximizes hydropower’s contribution to our renewable energy future.”
STATEMENT OF ROBERT CLEAVES, PRESIDENT, BIOMASS POWER ASSOCIATION
“The Renewable Electricity Standard introduced today would help create clean energy jobs in every state in the union – including in the Southeast, where there is enormous potential for biomass industry growth. This bipartisan legislation is a win-win that would create jobs, keep America competitive and generate more of our electricity from renewable resources like biomass. Senators Collins, Brownback, Bingaman and Dorgan have shown tremendous leadership and we thank them for that. Now the Senate must move ahead on this bill, to ensure that tens of thousands of clean energy jobs come to the United States.”
STATEMENT OF MARK GARNER, PRESIDENT AND CEO, VOITH HYDRO
“America’s economic recovery depends on manufacturing jobs, and clean energy like hydropower can create those jobs all over the country. That’s why manufacturers looking to make long-term investments want the US to pass a national Renewable Electricity Standard. This makes today’s announcement from Senators Collins, Bingaman, Dorgan and Brownback extremely encouraging. We applaud their leadership and strongly support Senate action on a bipartisan RES this year.”
STATEMENT OF PAUL GILMAN, SVP AND CHIEF SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER, COVANTA ENERGY
“The United States urgently needs a renewable electricity standard like the one introduced today by a bipartisan and geographically diverse group of Senators. Covanta applauds Senators Brownback, Bingaman, Dorgan and Collins for their recognition of the need for this bill. Renewable energy technologies could be creating thousands of jobs, especially in the southeastern states, if America passes the RES this year. With a bipartisan RES back on the table, the Senate has a chance to support those jobs.”
STATEMENT OF SEAN GARREN, CLEAN ENERGY ADVOCATE, ENVIRONMENT AMERICA
“Senator Bingaman’s renewable electricity standard would commit America to beginning the move towards a clean energy economy. While the standard is weaker than America can and should achieve, the Senate must pass the bill quickly to deliver to the entire country the benefits that states with standards are already enjoying. “Over the last two years clean energy industries, like wind energy and solar power, have been a bright spot in the otherwise dismal economy. This growth is not guaranteed, as demonstrated by the recent slowdown of new wind development, but just last year the renewable energy industries created tens of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in economic development, all while cutting global warming pollution. We look forward to working with Chairman Bingaman and Senators Brownback, Collins, Dorgan and Tom Udall to pass this critical legislation this fall. In addition, we will work to improve the standard at every opportunity in order to create more clean energy jobs and cut global warming pollution.”
STATEMENT OF DENISE BODE, CEO, AMERICAN WIND ENERGY ASSOCIATION
“We applaud Senators Bingaman, Brownback, Dorgan, Collins and Tom Udall for introducing a Renewable Electricity Standard (RES). This bill comes at a time when Americans need jobs and more clean energy resources. And wind energy can create jobs and clean energy right here at home. China is open for business and it’s now the most attractive market for clean energy businesses – which means our jobs could go overseas. The RES is the single most important thing we can do to grow jobs here in the United States and keep 85,000 American wind energy workers on the job. This bill sends a signal to manufacturers that the time is right to invest in and grow their operations here in America. Wind works for America. It’s a free and renewable resource providing long-term stable energy prices for American families. A 2007 study by global energy consulting firm Wood MacKenzie evaluating a 15% RES by 2020 found that electricity prices would decrease by 7%-11%. Over the last few years, we’ve seen new factories and wind farms grow here at home. And we know that clean energy technology can continue to be one of the bright spots in the U.S. economy. But, to save and grow American jobs, we need the Senate to pass a Renewable Electricity Standard now!”
STATEMENT OF FRANCESCO STARACE, CEO, ENEL GREEN POWER
"Enel Green Power strongly supports the bipartisan efforts of Senators Bingaman, Brownback, Collins and Dorgan in their proposal for a National Renewable Electricity Standard. Such a standard would confirm the United States’ commitment to building a clean energy economy, encouraging investments in this growing industry and furthering job creation. Today’s announcement gives Enel Green Power reason to be encouraged about continuing our US investments in all renewable energy technologies through our subsidiary, Enel North America."
By Tom Gray, www.awea.org/blog/
