CAES News
CAES Echoes Need For Forward-Thinking Energy Policy
For Immediate Release
www.secureourenergy.com
WASHINGTON, DC (May 23, 2007) – Today, the House Committee on Natural Resources held a Legislative Hearing on H.R. 2337, “The Energy Policy Reform and Revitalization Act of 2007.” John Engler, President of the National Association of Manufacturers, testified at the hearing. Governor Engler is also a founder of the Consumers Alliance for Energy Security (CAES), a broad-based alliance of organizations representing millions of Americans whose livelihoods depend on affordable and reliable supplies of energy. CAES issued the following statement:
“CAES strongly supports Gov. Engler’s message to the House Natural Resources Committee: ‘Our nation’s energy policy should be forward-thinking, and that we should not roll back the policy advances achieved through years of diligent, informed work and policy consensus.’ Gov. Engler went on to say, ‘Energy ranks at the top of concerns of manufacturers in the United States, who see our competitive edge slipping away every time domestic resources are locked away, and every time new regulations add costs and complications.’
“Gov. Engler is right. At a time when the nation needs more natural gas, H.R. 2337 would result in less natural gas production. Consumers pay the price for conflicting federal policies that ‘legislate’ new demand for natural gas and restrict or roll back access to supply.
“U.S. energy policy needs to embrace both energy efficiency and adequate supplies of clean energy to allow economic growth and ongoing environmental improvement. The abundant natural gas in the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) and onshore is critical to fulfill the needs of American consumers, sustain the nation’s manufacturing and agricultural economies and jobs, and enhance energy security. Natural gas also is closely linked to many of the climate and energy policies under development in Congress.
“American consumers have learned the hard way that when Congress legislates new demand while restricting access to new supply the result is high and volatile prices, ‘demand destruction’ in the manufacturing sector and huge job losses. Given the economic damage the U.S. has suffered from high natural gas prices in recent years, it would simply be irresponsible for Congress to create additional demand for natural gas without also allowing supplies to grow. From 2000-2005 rising demand combined with policy-induced scarce supplies contributed to:
• A $425 billion increase in the nation’s natural gas costs
• The loss of more than three million manufacturing jobs
• Huge increases in farmers’ costs to produce food and fiber for our nation
• Consumers’ natural gas heating bills that have doubled from an average $465 in the winter of 2001-2002 to $946 in 2005-2006.
“CAES echoes Gov. Engler’s closing comment to the committee: ‘The NAM strongly supports a comprehensive energy policy that looks forward, retains the advances enacted with the Energy Policy Act of 2005, and embraces positive approaches toward both the demand and supply side of the energy marketplace.’”
###
Contacts:
Jennifer Scott Kat Snodgrass
American Chemistry Council National Association of Manufacturers
(703) 741-5813 (202) 637-3000
jennifer_scott@americanchemistry.org ksnodgrass@nam.org