Congress Moves Country Closer to Energy Independence

Press Release

Congress Moves Country Closer to Energy Independence

Baldwin helps craft groundbreaking legislation

The House of Representatives passed (241-172) landmark legislation today to move the country closer to Democrats' goal of energy independence (H.R. 3221, the New Direction for Energy Independence Act).

As a Member of the Energy and Commerce Committee and its Energy Subcommittee, Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin played a key role in crafting this legislation. In addition to shaping the broad provisions of this legislation, Baldwin added language in the bill to increase industrial and home energy efficiency standards, encourage advanced battery and plug-in hybrid programs, minimize exposure to mercury in energy efficient light bulbs, and study the adequacy of railroad transportation for renewable fuels. Baldwin's efforts were supported by industry, environmental, and consumer groups.

Baldwin successfully led challenging negotiations between appliance manufacturers and energy efficiency advocates to secure broad support for her requirement that standby power be considered as an element of energy efficiency standards.

Standby power is the electricity still consumed by appliances while switched off, or not performing their primary functions. Each of us has electrical equipment in our homes operating in standby mode, including televisions, cordless telephones, and any device with a continuous digital display, including washers, dryers, coffeemakers, and dishwashers. Many of these devices draw as much energy when operating in standby mode as when on. Consumers generally do not know that the product is consuming energy when switched off.

Although a typical appliance operating in standby mode draws only a small amount of power, the total amount of energy wasted is sizable. In fact, standby mode accounts for approximately 10% of household power consumption.

"Baldwin sought to ensure that an additional analysis be conducted of a product's energy use while in standby mode, and in turn, encourage manufacturers to use the lowest standby power level possible."

Baldwin's efforts to improve appliance energy efficiency standards were widely applauded. "We are especially pleased to support Congresswoman Baldwin's proposal to address the standby power usage of federally-covered products. This approach will ensure that appliances and electronics products operate at high efficiencies…while providing manufacturers with the ability to maximize innovation for product functionality and consumer preference. In recognizing the globalization of appliance and electronics product design and manufacture, Congresswoman Baldwin took pains to reference important international standards activities and this legislation should serve as a model for other countries addressing standby power," said Joseph McGuire, President, Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, Steven Nadel, Executive Director, American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, Gary Shapiro, President and CEO, Consumer Electronics Association, Rhett Dawson, President and CEO, Information Technology Industry Council, Kyle Pitsor, Vice-President, National Electrical Manufacturers' Association, and Kateri Callahan, President, Alliance to Save Energy.

Praising Baldwin's leadership in addressing railroad shipments of renewable fuels, Bob Szabo, Executive Director and Counsel, Consumers United for Rail Equity (CURE) said, "Railroad transportation is enormously important to the national energy picture. We were very pleased that Congresswoman Baldwin prevailed, against concerted railroad opposition, to obtain legislation that will give us more information about problems in this area."

Baldwin consulted experts at the UW-Madison, Wisconsin businesses, public utilities, and environmental groups in preparation for the drafting of this legislation. She said, "Efforts to address energy independence and global warming at the federal level are long overdue, drastically needed, and vital to our national security, our economy, and our environment. I envisioned this legislation as a critical opportunity to reduce our energy use, invest in our future, and prepare for a post-petroleum economy. While there is much work that lies ahead, this bill takes important and necessary first steps that move us in the right direction."

"Representative Baldwin has played a leading role in developing several key energy efficiency provisions in the bill the House passed today," said Steven Nadel, Executive Director, American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. "Rep. Baldwin took the lead in developing provisions to improve the efficiency of external power supplies and reduce standby power use of home appliances. She also played a critical role in bringing new efficiency standards for walk-in refrigerators and freezers and specific types of commercial lighting fixtures into the bill. Taken together, we estimate these provisions will reduce U.S. carbon dioxide emissions in 2030 by 20 million metric tons, equivalent to the annual emissions of nearly 5 million passenger vehicles. We very much appreciate her efforts," Nadel said.

Energy efficiency provisions in this bill, when fully implemented, will remove from the atmosphere carbon dioxide emissions equivalent to those emitted from all cars currently on the road.

The energy independence bill also includes numerous provisions to improve our nation's energy efficiency, with robust provisions to address smart grid technology, the production of plug-in hybrid vehicle technology, promote research on biofuels and carbon capture and sequestration, increase federal help for local governments to purchase alternative fuel buses, locomotives and ferries, and make the federal government a leader in reducing global warming, by requiring its own operations to be carbon-neutral by 2050.

House Democrats have pledged to offer comprehensive legislation this fall to address global warming and Baldwin said input from UW-Madison researchers, Wisconsin business and environmental experts will help inform her deliberations and contributions to that bill, as well.

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