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LPPC: Members
Committed to Reducing Greenhouse Gases
For Immediate Release
Contact: Bob Bonitati
March 20, 2007
954-630-1472
The Large Public Power Council (LPPC) has told leaders of the House Energy
& Commerce Committee that, "LPPC member utilities are committed to
reducing their greenhouse gas emissions and ramping up their renewable
generation as rapidly as is feasible consistent with our obligation to
provide reliable and affordable electric service to our communities."
The views of LPPC were submitted to Representative John Dingell, Chairman
of the House Committee on Energy & Commerce and to Representative Rick
Boucher, Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Energy & Air Quality. Both
legislators have been seeking the recommendations of the energy industry
and the environmental community as the Energy & Commerce Committee begins
to develop climate change legislation.
In a letter to Chairman Dingell and Chairman Boucher, LPPC Chair Joe Beal
asserted that, "Federal climate change policy should be broad-based and
comprehensive, and should include accelerated technology development,
energy efficiency, use of renewable resources, nuclear energy and advanced
coal technologies."
The LPPC letter to Dingell and Boucher offered the following
recommendations to the Committee for the development of climate change
legislation:
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CO2 and other greenhouse
gases must be addressed on an economy-wide basis.
-
Federal and industry
support for research and development must be expanded significantly to
develop cost-effective technologies to reduce greenhouse gases in the
electric power sector and throughout the economy, to improve efficiency,
and to capture and sequester CO2.
-
Climate legislation
should provide for a continuing major role for coal-fired electric
generation, which accounts for half of US electricity production and is
essential for reliable operation of the electric grid.
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The production of
electricity with low and zero emission technologies must be expanded.
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Energy conservation and
efficiency must be significantly increased throughout the economy.
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Federal financial
incentives to promote development and deployment of zero or low-emitting
generation technologies and energy efficiency must be made available to
all types of electric utilities. Tax-exempt utilities should be able to
receive incentives for renewables, energy efficiency, nuclear and advanced
coal comparable to those available to taxable entities.
-
Climate policy should not
disadvantage the US economy in world markets.
The LPPC letter concluded
by citing LPPC's "long history" of taking voluntary actions to reduce
greenhouse gases. "LPPC members are undertaking a wide-ranging set of
actions and programs to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions intensity,
as well as to reduce, avoid, and sequester greenhouse gas emissions," the
LPPC told the Committee. The LPPC has been a participant in the Department
of Energy's Climate Challenge program and the Department of Energy's
Climate VISION program.
The LPPC's membership includes 24 of the nation's largest publicly owned,
not-for-profit energy systems. LPPC members provide reliable, low-cost
electricity to most of the more than 40 million people served by public
power.
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A copy of the LPPC document sent to
Chairman Dingell and Chairman Boucher is electronically available by
contacting Christine Goss at cgoss@smithharroff.com or at 703-740-1755.
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