Advocacy & Legislation
Public Policy Issues
Domestic Energy
Increasing the production of traditional domestic energy sources as well as the continued development of a viable renewable energy economy should be the objective of our national energy policy.
AEM supports:
--Maintaining the biofuel production targets set forth in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007.
--Continued funding for renewable energy research.
--Continuing tax incentives for the production of renewable energy.
--Development of advanced clean coal technologies.
--A diverse approach to energy generation including expanded nuclear, hydro and geothermal energies
--Expanded utilization of renewable biomass resources.
--Expanding and updating our aging energy grid.
--Construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline to efficiently transport crude oil from Canada.
Why Biofuels?
They are good for the environment: Studies conducted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have shown that burning corn-based ethanol reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 21.8 percent; biodiesel results in a 67.7 percent reduction.
They are good for national security: America imports 70 percent of its oil, mostly from countries that are hostile to our interests. Today, biofuels account for around 8 percent of our liquid transportation fuel needs and that share is quickly growing.
They create more energy: According to the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Energy, for every unit of fossil fuel energy used to produce biodiesel there is a net energy return of 320 percent and corn-based ethanol yields a net return of 67 percent. Cellulosic ethanol is estimated to be capable of achieving an energy return of over 800 percent in the coming years.
They create jobs: The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that every 1 billion gallons of ethanol production creates 10,000-20,000 jobs. By 2022, 360,000 – 720,000 jobs will be supported by the biofuels industry.
Defending Coal
Coal accounts for nearly 50 percent of electricity generated in the U.S. and we have a 200 year supply of coal. AEM strongly believes coal is a critical component of America’s energy present and future. It will not be possible to achieve energy independence without coal and with the continued advancement of clean coal technologies it should be a part of American’s clean energy future as well.
Biomass Power: Creating Markets for Forestry and Agriculture
Biomass is a clean, renewable and domestic source of energy that when responsibly utilized will create new revenue streams for foresters and farmers. Biomass is derived from both energy dedicated crops and agricultural and forest waste materials. Using biomass will not only increase farm income and add value to forestry, it will:
--Diversify our renewable electricity sources.
--Enable regions of the country, that cannot efficiently generate electricity, from other renewable sources such as wind and solar to take full advantage of a renewable energy industry.
--Reduce greenhouse gas emissions, especially methane.
--Eliminate the need to manage millions of tons of waste material every year.
--Create thousands of "green jobs" that will plant, collect and transport this resource.
Energy Grid Modernization
America's outdated energy grid wastes billions of dollars a year in lost power and is incapable of delivering the renewable energy of the future to consumers. Many renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, are located in rural areas while the demand is hundreds, if not thousands, of miles away in metropolitan areas. Recent studies have estimated that in order to transport energy from renewable sources we will have to construct 15,000 miles of new transmission lines. In order to achieve this goal AEM supports streamlining the approval process, so these vital transmission projects can begin.
Keystone XL Pipeline
The $5.3-billion Keystone XL Pipeline Project is the largest infrastructure project currently proposed in the United States. Construction of the 1,179-mile pipeline will support an estimated 7,000 U.S. jobs in the manufacturing sector and create an additional 9,000 jobs for skilled American workers to build the actual pipeline.
Construction and development of the Keystone XL and Gulf Coast Pipeline Projects is anticipated to generate $20 billion in economic impact in the United States, including $99 million in local government revenues and $486 million in state government revenues during construction. The pipelines will also generate an estimated $5 billion in additional property taxes during their operational life.
Not only does the construction the pipeline make economic sense it is also the most efficient and safest way to transport the crude oil our nation needs. The pipeline will take heavy trucks off the road and connect us to a reliable North American energy source.
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