President's State of Union Goals - Furthering Energy Efficiency, Curbing GHG - Require Stronger Commitment, Says Alliance

Business Wire, Jan 29, 2008

WASHINGTON -- The Alliance to Save Energy today echoed President Bush's State of the Union call for continued U.S. leadership in developing energy-efficient technologies and using energy efficiency to help stem greenhouse gases and support economic prosperity and energy security - while pointedly noting that attaining such goals will require stronger commitment and stronger federal funding.

"The best way to empower entrepreneurs and businesses to help achieve an energy-secure future - with its obvious benefits for our national energy security, our economy and job creation, and the global environment - is by putting a price on carbon emissions and providing adequate federal funding for research, development, and deployment of cutting-edge energy-efficient technologies," said Alliance President Kateri Callahan.

"The proof of the president's commitment to the laudable energy goals he expressed in last night's State of the Union address will be found in his support for significant actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and his including sufficient funding for energy-efficiency programs in his fiscal 2009 budget request," she said. "The aggressive agenda established in the recently enacted Energy Independence and Security Act will remain unfulfilled without full funding of its new initiatives."

Callahan continued, "The president had a golden opportunity last night to address the cap and trade bills pending in Congress and to signal his support for increased funding for clean energy technologies and energy-efficiency programs. However, the 11 sentences he devoted to energy policy contained no such commitments, nor any major new policies."

Alliance Director of Government Relations Brad Penney added, "It is critical for Congress to enact new energy-efficiency tax incentives as consumers and businesses face spiraling energy costs in the current economic downturn. Congress should begin by reinstating, on a retroactive basis, the key consumer tax credits for energy-efficiency upgrades to existing homes that expired at the end of 2007. In addition, Congress must provide additional tax incentives to support businesses in their efforts to become more energy-efficient. We urge Congress to add such provisions to the economic stimulus package it is considering this week."

The Alliance to Save Energy is a coalition of prominent business, government, environmental, and consumer leaders who promote the efficient and clean use of energy worldwide to benefit consumers, the environment, economy, and national security.