Farr: Rest of US catching up with us on energy

Washington, DC, Dec 18, 2007 - Congressman Sam Farr (D-Carmel) on Tuesday joined colleagues in the House of Representatives to pass the Energy Independence and Security Act. The bill includes provisions that will increase vehicle fuel efficiency, increase the use of renewable energy sources and cut U.S. oil consumption by boosting biofuel use.

The legislation was passed by a vote of 314-100 and will be sent to the president, who is expected to sign the bill into law on Wednesday.

“California has long been a leader in the push for energy responsibility, and it’s great to see the rest of the country working to catch up,” Rep. Farr said following the vote. “This legislation will be good for our country, and I’m proud to be living in the state where so much of this advocacy is centered.”

The bill will:

Increase vehicle fuel efficiency to 35 miles per gallon by 2020, the first congressional increase in 32 years.
Expand the use of American-grown biofuels to 36 billion gallons in 2022.
Slash U.S. oil consumption by more than 4 million barrels per day by 2030.
Cut greenhouse gas emissions by up to 24 percent by 2030.
Increases the efficiency of buildings, homes, appliances and lighting.

“We’re paying too much for our gas, we’re too dependent on foreign oil and we’re not using our resources and knowledge to their potential,” Rep. Farr said. “This bill will help address those problems and is a good first step toward tackling our dependence on expensive, polluting energy sources.”