Congress has approved and the president has signed an energy bill that raises vehicle fuel economy standards to 35 miles-per-gallon by 2020 – the first such increase since 1975. The legislation also sets new energy efficiency standards for lighting and many other appliances, and encourages green building construction for many government and commercial buildings. The goals set by the legislation fall far short of what is needed to quickly reduce oil dependence and greenhouse gas emissions.
The question is: Should we cheer or cry?
Hoorah! H.R. 6 raises the vehicle fuel economy standard to 35 miles per gallon by 2020. By 2020, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists, this will reduce U.S. oil dependence by more than one million barrels per day and reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by the equivalent of about three percent of total U.S. emissions in 2005.
Sob! Why so slow and so little? The U.S. needs to reduce its oil dependence and greenhouse gas emissions much sooner – to prevent more war over oil and avoid approaching climate catastrophe! If China has a 35 mpg standard already today, and if Europe and Japan are already far beyond that standard today, why can’t the U.S. do more sooner? Ask the auto industry, President Bush, and their friends in Congress.
Hoorah! H.R. 6 sets new energy efficiency standards for lighting and many other appliances. According to the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE), this will reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by the equivalent of about another one percent of total U.S. emissions in 2005 and reduce the need for more power plants. In addition, the bill sets strong new standards for energy efficient federal buildings and establishes a program to promote 100 percent zero net energy (i.e. highly efficient, renewable energy, zero-emission) commercial buildings by 2050.
Sob! But why did the House strike the provisions that would set a national model building energy code for new residential buildings that would require 30 percent more energy efficient homes by 2010 and 50 percent more energy efficient homes by 2020? The Alliance to Save Energy estimates that this provision alone could have saved five percent of total U.S. energy demand by 2030, and the ACEEE estimated that this one provision would have done more to reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions than any other provision in the bill. Ask the home builders’ industry and their friends in Congress.
Hoorah! H.R. 6 would mandate the production of 21 billion gallons of “next generation” renewable fuels per year by 2022 (made, not from corn, but from cellulosic materials like weeds, grasses, wood chips, etc.), and it sets strong greenhouse gas and environmental safeguards on biofuel production. The total renewable fuel mandate, which also includes 15 billion gallons per year of corn-based ethanol, could reduce U.S. oil dependence by a few million barrels per day (about a fifth of today’s consumption), and the Natural Resources Defense Council estimates that this could reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions another 1.5 percent below the total emissions level in 2005.
Sob! U.S. corn-based ethanol production is already contributing significantly to rapidly rising global food prices, making food unaffordable for the poorest people in the poorest countries. World grain reserves have plunged to historic lows and prices are at historic highs. World demand for grain for food and livestock is growing rapidly, but agricultural production in the years ahead will be under increasing stress due to climate change and shifting precipitation patterns. What will happen to food inflation when the U.S. corn-based ethanol production doubles again? Why is the U.S. shifting agriculture away from feeding people to feeding gas-guzzlers? Ask the corn-growers association, the auto industry, President Bush, and their friends in Congress.
Sob! Why was the renewable electricity standard dropped from the bill? This would require privately owned electric utilities to produce 11 percent of their electricity from renewable energy, reducing the need for more fossil fuel fired power plants. And why were the tax incentives for energy efficiency improvements and renewable energy production dropped? Energy efficiency and renewable energy are the pathways to a sustainable energy future in this country. And why did the Senate drop the provisions to roll back tax breaks amounting to about $1 billion per year for the top five oil companies who made more than $120 billion in profits this year? Ask the privately owned electric utility industry, the oil industry, President Bush, and their friends in Congress.
We could go on, but you get the idea. We will have more work to do in the next session of the 110th Congress to advance legislation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and oil dependence, and we need to start lobbying candidates in the upcoming congressional campaign season now to support far stronger legislation in the 111th Congress to come.
