February 14, 2014—The U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee approved two important energy-related bills on January 18 with commendable bipartisan support as part of its ongoing pursuit of an “all-of-the-above” energy strategy. The Better Buildings Act (HR 2126), which advanced by voice vote, and the Electricity Security and Affordability Act (HR 3826), which passed by a vote of 29 to 19, next move to the full House for approval.
The Better Buildings Act, authored by Reps. David McKinley (R-WV) and Peter Welch (D-VT), improves energy efficiency by facilitating greater cooperation between landlords and tenants to lower energy consumption in commercial buildings. The legislation takes a market-driven and voluntary approach to encourage energy and cost savings. A broad coalition of stakeholders reportedly praised the bipartisan bill and applauded the committee’s energy efficiency efforts.
According to a Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) staff blog, the voluntary energy legislation includes a “game-changing” Tenant Star program, which rewards tenants who include high-performance energy efficiency measures during the design stage, and optimize energy performance during occupancy. Tenant Star, which was crafted in close collaboration with the Real Estate Roundtable coalition and coordinated with NRDC’s High Performance Tenant Demonstration Project, would complement the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) successful Energy Star brand, notes the NRDC.
The Electricity Security and Affordability Act, authored by Energy and Power Subcommittee Chairman Ed Whitfield (R-KY) and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), offers a bipartisan alternative to the EPA’s proposed greenhouse gas standards for new power plants and the agency’s planned regulations for existing power plants.
H.R. 3826 would protect an all-of-the-above energy strategy by directing the EPA to adopt workable standards for new coal-fired plants that require technologies that have been adequately demonstrated and are commercially feasible. It would also instruct Congress to set the effective date for the EPA’s expected regulations for existing plants. The legislation allows coal to remain part of America’s energy mix, protects jobs, and ensures a diverse and affordable electricity portfolio. Several groups representing American workers and job-creators have voiced strong support for the commonsense legislation, says the committee.
