DeGette Amends Climate Bill To Establish National Efficiency Target

May 20, 2009

Provision Calls for 2.5 Percent Annual Increase in Energy Efficiency

WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO), Vice Chair of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, today lauded the passage of an amendment to H.R. 2454, the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, offered by herself and U.S. Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT). The amendment calls on the Secretary of Energy and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to develop a strategic plan based on the goal of improving energy efficiency 2.5 percent-per-year from 2012 through 2030. The Secretary of Energy would make these National Energy Efficiency Goals available in a report every two years, providing guidance to all sectors of our economy on how use less energy.

"Finding greater efficiencies is simple commonsense," said DeGette. "This is something the government and our industries should be doing on a larger scale even in advance of Congressional action on energy legislation. We need to set a target for all of the sectors of our economy: buildings, industry and transportation, as well as electricity."

"Energy efficiency is widely accepted as the best way to reduce costs and emissions at the same time," said former Senator Tim Wirth (D-CO). "An international expert group convened by the United Nations Foundation found that doubling our rate of improvement in energy efficiency is both doable and desirable. Congresswoman DeGette displayed her leadership and vision in advancing a national efficiency goal. It will give us a benchmark to measure our progress and challenge us to think bigger about this most important energy opportunity."

H.R. 2454, The American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, seeks to reduce global warming emissions 83 percent by 2050 and create a renewable energy standard of 20 percent by 2020. The amendment passed today supports these benchmarks by providing national efficiency goals and an efficiency plan that would keep the United States on track to meet emissions reduction targets. A groundbreaking 2007 report issued by the United Nations Foundation found that improving annual energy efficiency at 2.5% a year in just the G8 countries – roughly double the historical average – would reduce G8 energy demand by about 20 percent in 2030, returning it to 2004 levels and offsetting the equivalent of 80 percent of the increased energy supply needs currently projected by the International Energy Agency (to be met by new coal-generated power plants) between now and 2030.

# # #