U.S. Senate Committee on
Environment and Public Works

 

 

 

Senate Passed Energy Bill
Advances Fight Against Global Warming

 

 

Landmark Legislation Would Make Federal Government a Model of Energy Efficiency

 

 

 

 

Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, praised the passage of the Senate Energy Bill on a vote of 65-27. 

 

 

Senator Boxer said, “The Energy Bill passed by the Senate last night is an important step toward breaking America ’s oil addiction, making the country more energy independent, and tackling the challenge of global warming.”

 

 

This bill contains several major provisions that Senator Boxer either authored or supported in the Environment and Public Works Committee.  These provisions will make the federal government a model of energy-efficiency, and will ensure that the environment is protected as the nation increases its use of renewable fuels.  Each of these provisions received broad bi-partisan support.  They include:

 

 

  1. Lighting retrofits and increased energy efficiency in as many as 8,000 federal buildings, with a $100 million grant program for local governments to upgrade their own buildings;

     

  2. A Green Buildings program for new government buildings and retrofits, encouraging the most sustainable products and energy efficiency;
  3. Construction of a photovoltaic “solar wall” at the Department of Energy headquarters in Washington, DC , which will reduce global warming pollution and pay for itself;
  4. Language directing the federal government to use the most energy efficient cars practicable in its federal fleet;
  5. A demonstration project to test innovative clean technologies at the Capitol Power Plant in Washington DC ;
  6. A $500 million grant program to encourage the production of advanced biofuels such as cellulosic ethanol;
  7. Provisions to ensure that air quality and water quality protections – including groundwater protection -- are built into the renewable fuels program; and
  8. Studies to ensure that the new fuels programs protect the environment in areas such as greenhouse gas emissions and land use.

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