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U.S.
Senator Member of the Agriculture, Energy and Veterans Affairs
Committees |
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For Immediate
Release March 7, 2006 |
CONTACT: Cody Wertz – Comm. Director 303-455-7600 Andrew Nannis – Press Secretary 202-224-5852 |
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, United States Senator Ken Salazar continued his push for America’s energy independence at a hearing of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Among those who testified was Amory B. Lovins, CEO of the Rocky Mountain Institute in Snowmass, CO. “Achieving America’s energy independence is critical for our economic and national security,” Salazar said. “Having environmentalists and auto manufacturers at the same table, like we did today, is exactly the kind of non-partisan exchange of ideas that is necessary to achieve our goals.” Testifying before the committee was: R. James Woolsey, Vice President for Global Strategic Security, Booz Allen Hamilton; Susan M. Cischke, Vice President for Environmental and Safety Engineering, Ford Motor Company; Frank A. Verrastro, Director and Senior Fellow, Energy Program, Center for Strategic and International Studies; and Amory B. Lovins, Chief Executive Officer, Rocky Mountain Institute. The Rocky Mountain Institute is an entrepreneurial nonprofit organization that fosters the efficient and restorative use of resources to make the world secure, just, prosperous, and life-sustaining. Senator Salazar has been pushing bipartisan legislative vehicles to achieve America’s energy independence, such as the Vehicle and Fuel Choices for American Security Act (S.2025). The Fuel Choices Act would promote greater use of renewable fuels and improved motor vehicle efficiency. The bill would: provide tax credits for auto manufacturers to retool their production lines; provide tax credits for consumers of hybrids; close the SUV tax loophole; and create an R&D program for electric drive transportation. If implemented, the Fuel Choices Act would result in a 25 percent increase in fuel efficiency beyond the CAFE standards. It would also save 2.5 million barrels of oil per day by 2016 and 10 million barrels per day by 2031.
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