WALZ ANNOUNCES INTENTION TO VOTE FOR HISTORIC ENERGY LEGISLATION TO TRANSFORM AMERICA

American Clean Energy and Security Act will create American jobs, reduce pollution, protect national security

For Immediate Release
June 25, 2009

Contact: Meredith Salsbery
507-388-2149

WASHINGTON D.C. — Today, Congressman Tim Walz announced that he intends to stand with US House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson and President Barack Obama in supporting historic energy legislation when it comes before the House of Representatives on Friday. Walz said he has heard from residents of his district and that it is clear the time for action is now. The bill represents the next step toward a comprehensive energy plan that will fuel lasting economic recovery, transition our country to clean fuels, reduce the threat of deadly pollution and climate change, and protect our national security by ensuring Americans -- and not foreign nations -- control our energy supply.

“Climate change is a real problem and is affecting our planet in many ways. This problem presents both challenges and opportunities for us as a nation. This vote for me is about looking the kindergartners at Jefferson Elementary in Mankato, the 9^th graders at Rochester Century High School, and kids of all ages in the eye and telling them we did what we could to give them a better, cleaner, safer future,” said Walz. “This bill will increase the certainty and security of our national energy supply.”

Walz went on to note that southern Minnesota is uniquely positioned to lead the country in the development and innovation of clean fuels and new energy efficient technologies. Walz specifically cited the HESS project in Rochester where a geothermal furnace is in development, the biofuels in development at Minnesota State University-Mankato, the conservation techniques utilized in southern Minnesota to take carbon out of the air, and the community and personal wind and solar energy systems installed around the district by Dan Juhl and others as examples of the type of innovation the legislation would encourage and expand.

The majority of residents in southern Minnesota receive their electricity from either a co-op or a municipal power provider. “One of the things that I admire about the tradition of rural electric co-ops and public municipal utilities is that they are essentially citizen-owned entities. This bill, combined with Recovery funding and the bipartisan energy bill I’m supporting, will help position southern Minnesotans to not only benefit from clean energy research and development, but to potentially own the next generation of clean energy innovation and technology,” continued Walz. “That’s a very exciting prospect.”

“This fight against climate change will open up new opportunities for clean energy research and development and will create jobs here in America as we transition to new forms of energy,” continued Walz. “Chairman Collin Peterson has done a great deal to strengthen this bill and I am proud to stand with him as the House amends the bill to make it fairer for rural communities and farmers,” said Walz. “Our ag producers have long given land over to conservation and sought to implement methods of farming that sequester carbon. This is a win for ag and energy producers and for consumers.”

Discussing the economics of climate change, Walz pointed to the negative externalities caused by pollution. “We all pay for pollution; right now, carbon emissions are imposing costs on everyone in the economy. More kids have asthma, more cities issue smog alerts, more farmers lose crops to weather events like floods and droughts that may be due to climate change. The bill will curb pollution and at the same time, unleash private sector investment in clean energy to create millions of new jobs that can’t be shipped overseas and make America the global leader in clean energy technology. Clean energy technology – made in America and ensuring America’s continued security.”

Walz went on to note that the concept of cap and trade is a tool that has worked in the past on acid rain, and it can work again on carbon emissions if done correctly. The concept was used for sulfur emissions that were the cause of acid rain in the 1990s and the reduction of those emissions cost less than predicted by experts and all but stopped acid rain in the United States.

Walz acknowledged the bill isn’t perfect and will continue to work to improve it as it moves through the legislative process. Walz is encouraged by the progress made in recent days to recognize the contributions of rural ag producers and to ensure increased protection for consumers from increased rates. He is eager to see more done to fully address the concerns of both consumers and producers as the bill moves through the Senate and conference committee.

There is broad consensus behind this bill both nationally and across southern Minnesota, from environmental advocates to energy producers, from the business community to the labor community. For a list of national organizations and companies supporting the bill, click here.

Additional information on the legislation can be found here. A summary of the agreement reached by Chairmen Peterson and Waxman can be found here.