Senate Panel Releases Major but Mixed Energy Package

WASHINGTON – The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee today introduced a bipartisan energy package that combines elements of several dozen previously considered bills addressing the nation’s energy supply, renewable energy, electricity grid, conservation and mining.

Following is a statement from Alexandra Adams, senior director of Federal Affairs at the Natural Resources Defense Council:

“In the face of a growing climate crisis, this important energy package invests in renewable power, clean manufacturing, energy efficiency, and the innovation-driving ARPA-E program.

“But it also would undermine bedrock environmental laws, weaken public lands protections and ramp up dirty energy fueling climate change. And it skipped saving Americans billions of dollars by not updating building efficiency codes. That’s unacceptable.

“We look forward to working with Congress develop a stronger bill, one that powers our communities with smarter, cleaner energy and protects our families and economy from harm.”

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The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 3 million members and online activists. Since 1970, our lawyers, scientists, and other environmental specialists have worked to protect the world's natural resources, public health, and the environment. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Bozeman, MT, and Beijing. Visit us at NRDC.org and follow us on Twitter @NRDC.​