Debate on a landmark energy bill to modernize America’s dated energy laws and ensure that the U.S. maximizes its energy potential began on Tuesday, led by Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI).
“It has been nearly a decade since we last considered a broad energy package, and a lot has changed,” Upton said. “Back then, the energy situation looked downright dire – declining domestic oil and natural gas output, increasing reliance on imports, and energy prices that seemed like they had nowhere to go but up. Manufacturers were fleeing oversees in pursuit of cheaper energy.
“But thankfully, because of breakthrough innovation and a little American ingenuity, we are now experiencing game changing energy abundance that has redefined America’s standing at home and around the globe. Now, Michigan and many parts of the country are enjoying a welcome manufacturing renaissance thanks to reliable and affordable energy. It is well past time that our laws rooted in energy scarcity caught up to our newfound 21st century reality.”
H.R. 8, the North American Energy Security and Infrastructure Act of 2015, authored by Upton, focuses on four categories to keep America ahead of the pack for energy production: protecting the nation’s electricity system, modernizing energy infrastructure, strengthening energy security and diplomacy, and improving energy efficiency and government accountability.
To meet those goals, the bill would allow the private sector to expand the energy infrastructure in the U.S. and contains provisions meant to expedite the approval process for timely projects, including interstate natural gas pipelines, LNG export facilities and new hydropower.
Upton said that energy security is also of increasing importance.
“Using the Department of Energy’s Quadrennial Energy Review as a guide, this bill begins the process of incorporating energy security and diplomacy considerations into the decision-making process,” Upton said. “It also creates forums through which we can coordinate with our North American neighbors as well as our allies and trading partners around the world on energy policy.
“I would add that while our energy abundance is a real blessing, it does not in any way reduce the importance of energy efficiency. H.R. 8 includes a number of updates to energy efficiency policy, including measures to help the federal government use energy more wisely as well as improvements to existing energy efficiency programs that have proven problematic.”
Upton added that the U.S. needs to lose its “scarcity mindset” and “say yes to energy and yes to jobs.”