Representing North Carolina’s Ninth District                                                                        

Rep. Myrick Votes For National Energy Plan

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, Rep. Sue Myrick voted for H.R. 6, the Energy Policy Act of 2005.  This bill provides a roadmap that will ensure all Americans have access to more efficient, affordable, and environmentally friendly energy.  The House and Senate agreed on the terms of the bill this week, breaking a four-year stalemate. 

 “This bill provides the most extensive energy legislation that Americans have seen in more than three decades,” said Rep. Myrick.  “I was honored to be on the Committee that helped form and debate this bill.  It will lower energy prices, conserve more energy, and will create thousands of jobs across the country.”

 H.R. 6 addresses the rising price of gasoline and our dependency on foreign oil by encouraging more domestic production of oil, and by increasing the gas supply by stopping the destruction of expensive regional fuel boutiques.  It will also encourage conservation by encouraging vehicles powered by hydrogen fuel cells, and by funding Department of Transportation projects that would help improve fuel-efficiency standards.

 In addition, The Energy Policy Act boosts production of clean natural gas to help alleviate soaring prices. Due to current regulations, natural gas prices in the U.S. are 10 times higher than in other countries.  This bill will simplify regulations so that more natural gas can be refined and can be sent to consumers at a cheaper price.

 This bill also improves our nation's electricity grids to prevent future blackouts through the adoption of reliability standards, incentives for transmission grid improvements and reform of transmission authorization rules. 

 H.R. 6 promotes clean and renewable fuels by providing incentives for clean coal technology and renewable energies such as biomass, wind, solar and hydroelectricity.

 The Energy Policy Act requires greater energy conservation by establishing new mandatory efficiency requirements for federal buildings, and efficiency standards and product labeling for battery chargers, commercial refrigerators, freezers, unit heaters and other household products.  It also encourages more nuclear and hydropower production by authorizing the Department of Energy to develop programs that would begin the process of building new nuclear reactors, and improving current procedures for hydroelectric project licensing.

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