U.S. Senate Committee on
Environment and Public Works
EPW Committee Passes Three Global Warming Measures
Bipartisan Legislation Promotes Green Buildings, Showcases Solar Energy, and Reduces Pollution at Capitol Power Plant
 
Washington, DC U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, today announced that the Committee approved three bills to address global warming pollution.  The bills include Green Buildings legislation, a cutting-edge energy demonstration project at the Capitol Hill Power Plant and installation of solar panels at the Department of Energy. 
 
Chairman Boxer said, "I have said from the day I took the gavel in January of this year that I would take every opportunity to move legislation through our committee that makes progress on the challenge of global warming.  Today's bipartisan action by the committee moves forward on my promise to make the federal government a model of energy efficiency and environmental responsibility.  Every bill we vote out of this committee adds to the growing momentum for comprehensive legislation to control global warming pollution.”
 
More details of the bills passed today follow:

  • A bill requiring the federal government to take numerous steps to encourage the building of “green” government buildings and upgrading existing buildings the highest standards for energy efficiency, indoor air quality and other environmental impacts. (S. 506, Lautenberg-Warner-Boxer substitute);
 
  • A bill establishing a demonstration of state-of-the-art technology to capture greenhouse gases from burning coal at the Capitol Hill Power Plant in Washington, DC.  (S. 1523, Boxer-Alexander); and

  • A bill authorizing construction of a “solar wall” of 25,000 photovoltaic cells on the roof of the Department of Energy headquarters in Washington, DC, which will reduce global warming pollution and eventually pay for itself (H.R. 798, Oberstar-Mica).
 
In March, Senator Boxer’s committee approved legislation that would to require a 20 percent improvement in energy efficiency in existing federal buildings, and create a matching funds program to cities and counties across America to improve the energy efficiency of their own facilities.  And in May, the Senate Commerce Committee approved Senator Boxer's legislation directing the federal government to buy energy efficient cars for its federal fleet. The federal government buys about 60,000 new cars a year.  Both measures are part of the package of energy legislation that is slated to be taken up by the full Senate next week.
 
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