Murkowski co-sponsors energy legislation
Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, joined four other U.S. senators April 16 to introduce energy efficiency legislation aimed at yearly savings nationwide of 50 billion kilowatt hours of electricity and enough natural gas to heat 250,000 homes, as well as significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The Energy Efficiency Promotion Act of 2007 would aid new advanced lighting technologies, expedite new efficiency standards for household appliances, provide grants to automakers to retool facilities to produce advanced technology “plug-in” hybrid vehicles and fund research on advanced battery technology. The latter provision is similar to one Murkowski proposed earlier this year in the REFRESH Act (S. 298) which provides $100 million for battery research.
The bipartisan bill requires the federal government to purchase vehicles that will be 30 percent more efficient by 2016 and enough renewable energy so 15 percent of federal facilities are powered by renewable energy by 2015. It also requires the government to make federal buildings use 30 percent less energy by 2015, and reauthorizes weatherization and state energy grant programs among other provisions.
Murkowski authored a provision that would provide grants and tax assistance to companies that build energy efficient appliances and mechanical systems for buildings in cold climates, and makes such appliances eligible for “Energy Star” tax deductions when purchased by home and building owners.
Sens. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., Pete Domenici, R-N.M., Bryon Dorgan, D-N.D., and Richard Lugar, R-Ind., also co-sponsored the legislation.
—Rose Ragsdale
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