Looks like at least one of our Senators is going to vote yes on it. Also there's a recent post from someone on his facebook page who says she got a response from him & he intends to vote for it.
Senator Evan Bayh — Senator for Indiana: News - Press Release
June 17, 2009
Bayh Measure to Keep Energy Dollars in Indiana Advances in Senate
Amendment would send payments directly to state to lower utility rates, support local renewable projects
Washington—Bipartisan energy legislation cleared the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee today, by a vote of 15-8, and included a key provision written by Senator Evan Bayh to send money directly to Indiana to lower the cost of Hoosier electric bills.
Bayh, a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, last month voted to strike the committee’s Renewable Electricity Standard (RES), a mandate that electric utilities produce 15 percent of their power from renewable sources—such as wind, solar, biomass and geothermal energy—by 2021.
“It’s important we pursue renewable energy alternatives and the creation of green jobs as part of Indiana’s economic future,” Bayh said. “I have supported many efforts to promote this, including tax credits for companies that produce renewable energy and create green jobs. The costs of this approach are borne equally by every American taxpayer.
“The approach adopted by the committee—requiring every state to produce at least 15 percent of its electricity from renewables by 2021 or pay a fine—threatens utility ratepayers in states that rely on coal, such as Indiana. Fortunately, the committee adopted my proposal to keep the money in Indiana, rather than send it to Washington. This will allow the governor to return it to Hoosier ratepayers, keeping their electric rates from going up in the event the ambitious goals of this legislation prove to be unattainable.”
Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels lauded Bayh for his role in improving the energy bill, which now advances to the full Senate for consideration.
“Senator Bayh’s amendment is a big improvement and I commend him for it,” Daniels stated. “The parent bill’s fines and penalties would still be highly unfair to Hoosiers, but thanks to the senator, at least our citizens’ money won’t be sent to Washington to fund federal spending in other states.”
Utility companies unable to meet the renewable energy mandate may pay an “alternative compliance payment” to meet the requirements of the mandate. Under the original bill, utility companies were directed to send their penalty payments to the Department of Energy in Washington, D.C. Bayh’s amendment instead directs the money to an Indiana renewable energy fund managed by the governor to reduce electric bills and support green energy projects.
“Important decisions about utility rates and energy projects should be made by Hoosiers, not bureaucrats in Washington,” Bayh said.
The Energy Committee today passed several other important Bayh provisions in the bipartisan American Clean Energy Leadership Act of 2009 (ACELA). Bayh provisions will:
Senator Evan Bayh — Senator for Indiana: News - Press Release
June 17, 2009
Bayh Measure to Keep Energy Dollars in Indiana Advances in Senate
Amendment would send payments directly to state to lower utility rates, support local renewable projects
Washington—Bipartisan energy legislation cleared the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee today, by a vote of 15-8, and included a key provision written by Senator Evan Bayh to send money directly to Indiana to lower the cost of Hoosier electric bills.
Bayh, a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, last month voted to strike the committee’s Renewable Electricity Standard (RES), a mandate that electric utilities produce 15 percent of their power from renewable sources—such as wind, solar, biomass and geothermal energy—by 2021.
“It’s important we pursue renewable energy alternatives and the creation of green jobs as part of Indiana’s economic future,” Bayh said. “I have supported many efforts to promote this, including tax credits for companies that produce renewable energy and create green jobs. The costs of this approach are borne equally by every American taxpayer.
“The approach adopted by the committee—requiring every state to produce at least 15 percent of its electricity from renewables by 2021 or pay a fine—threatens utility ratepayers in states that rely on coal, such as Indiana. Fortunately, the committee adopted my proposal to keep the money in Indiana, rather than send it to Washington. This will allow the governor to return it to Hoosier ratepayers, keeping their electric rates from going up in the event the ambitious goals of this legislation prove to be unattainable.”
Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels lauded Bayh for his role in improving the energy bill, which now advances to the full Senate for consideration.
“Senator Bayh’s amendment is a big improvement and I commend him for it,” Daniels stated. “The parent bill’s fines and penalties would still be highly unfair to Hoosiers, but thanks to the senator, at least our citizens’ money won’t be sent to Washington to fund federal spending in other states.”
Utility companies unable to meet the renewable energy mandate may pay an “alternative compliance payment” to meet the requirements of the mandate. Under the original bill, utility companies were directed to send their penalty payments to the Department of Energy in Washington, D.C. Bayh’s amendment instead directs the money to an Indiana renewable energy fund managed by the governor to reduce electric bills and support green energy projects.
“Important decisions about utility rates and energy projects should be made by Hoosiers, not bureaucrats in Washington,” Bayh said.
The Energy Committee today passed several other important Bayh provisions in the bipartisan American Clean Energy Leadership Act of 2009 (ACELA). Bayh provisions will:
- Incentivize the electrification of the American transportation sector to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and spur the creation of new auto-related jobs in Indiana for advanced electric drive vehicles;
- Help Hoosier manufacturers maintain their competitive advantage in the global marketplace by providing incentives to help companies boost their productivity while using less energy;
- Require the federal government to develop a comprehensive oil savings plan to reduce our nation’s economic vulnerability and strategic dependence on oil-rich nations run by governments hostile to American interests;
- Commission a report on how to protect energy-intensive and trade-exposed manufacturers so American jobs are not shipped overseas as a result of global warming legislation; and,
- Commission a report to learn what China and India are doing—and not doing—to address their role in the global warming crisis, given that they are some of the largest greenhouse gas emitters in the world.
