FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – February 26, 2009
Contact: Matt Letourneau 202-463-5945 WASHINGTON, D.C.–Karen Harbert, President and CEO of the Institute for 21st Century Energy at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, made the following statement in response to President Obama’s FY2010 budget blueprint:
“The budget blueprint released by President Obama today sends mixed messages on energy to America’s businesses and consumers.
“On a positive note, the Institute for 21st Century Energy is pleased to see such a strong commitment from the Administration to develop carbon capture and sequestration technology (CCS), strengthen energy efficiency programs, and to continue the loan guarantee program.
“Support for CCS technology is an acknowledgement that clean coal is an important part of our energy mix going forward. This commitment is consistent with the recommendations that the Institute has made to develop new technologies to address both energy demands and carbon emissions.
“While the Institute is pleased that the Administration has recognized the importance of modernizing our electric grid, spending money on this problem is not enough. The siting and permitting of transmission lines remains the central challenge to modernizing the grid, and will need the full attention of Congress and the Administration.
“We are disappointed that the Obama Administration did not place greater emphasis on nuclear power in the budget blueprint. Any serious effort to address global climate change must include nuclear energy, and the expansion of nuclear power plants will create thousands of jobs and help us meet our growing energy demands in the cleanest way possible. In addition, the loan guarantee program should remain eligible to a wide variety of technologies, including nuclear.
“The Energy Institute is pleased, however, that the Administration has committed to devising a new strategy toward nuclear waste disposal. We hope that they will move swiftly and aggressively on such a strategy.
“Perhaps the most troubling piece of the blueprint is the assumption that the government will be collecting significant revenues from a cap and trade system by 2012. Assuming such revenues without a full and thorough national debate is premature and ignores the political process and the principal need to determine the economic impact on our nation’s industries and citizens.”
The mission of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Institute for 21st Century Energy is to unify policymakers, regulators, business leaders, and the American public behind a common sense energy strategy to help keep America strong, prosperous, and clean. Through policy development, education, and advocacy, the Institute is building support for meaningful action at the local, state, national, and international levels.
The U.S. Chamber is the world's largest business federation representing more than 3 million businesses and organizations of every size, sector, and region.