"Riley Factor"

This article was featured in the April 2007 issue of Business Matters, the Chamber's monthly print newsletter.

Proposed Energy Independence Strategy Details Emerge

In early March, I had the pleasure of attending a forum where Environmental Protection Secretary Kathleen A. McGinty unveiled details for Governor Rendell’s proposed Energy Independence Strategy---an initiative the Governor says will save consumers $10 billion over the next 10 years and promote Pennsylvania's energy independence.

Secretary McGinty mentioned the Energy Independence Strategy will:

• Invest $850 million to cut consumer energy costs by $10 billion over the next decade, stabilize electricity rates for businesses, significantly expand Pennsylvania’s alternative fuel and clean energy industries and reduce dependence on foreign oil.

• Mandate the use of biofuels and ethanol in all transportation fuels in Pennsylvania, with a goal of one billion gallons of in-state production by 2017, or the equivalent of all oil currently imported to Pennsylvania from the Persian Gulf.

• Include $200 million for rebates to homeowners who replace inefficient home cooling appliances, as well as the Pennsylvania Sunshine Solar Initiative, which will create incentives for solar manufacturers to establish operations in Pennsylvania.
   

 “By supporting conservation and the production of renewable energy sources, Governor Rendell’s Energy Independence Strategy will save consumers money by lowering demand for electricity from traditional power plants during periods of peak demand and it will help reduce the need to build costly new power plants, or long-distance transmission lines, to meet our growing energy needs,” McGinty said.

Legislation detailing the proposed Energy Independence Strategy was presented to the House and Senate Leadership in early March.  Administration officials are hoping the General Assembly will consider the proposed legislation before the end of June.

Send me your thoughts regarding this proposed legislation, and I will include them when I communicate with our elected officials as the issue progresses through the General Assembly. Contact me at briley@GreaterReadingChamber.org. 

For more information on Governor Rendell’s Energy Independence Strategy visit DEP’s Web site at www.depweb.state.pa.us, Keyword: “Energy.”