Press Releases

One Week of Activity for Congressman Bartlett Illustrates His Effectiveness as a Leader in Congress about Energy Policy

Washington, Jun 15, 2007 -  

Congressman Roscoe Bartlett has been busy this week continuing to be a leader in the U.S. Congress concerning energy policy. He improved two energy bills, by providing important amendments during a Science and Technology Committee markup and participated in a separate hearing about biofuels. He briefed scientists who will be working for a year as Fellows in the Executive Branch at a Brookings Institution seminar on “Science and Technology: Politics and Issues.”  He also served as a panelist at “Horizon 2020,” a series of satellite-linked policy debates between Washington D.C. and EU representatives in Brussels. Congressman Bartlett finished the week by testifying at a hearing before the Members of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission concerning energy and giving a one-hour speech about peak oil.

One of three scientists in the Congress, Congressman Bartlett is a senior member of the Science and Technology Committee. On Wednesday, the committee passed H.R. 2304, the Advanced Geothermal Energy Research and Development Act of 2007 and H.R. 2313, the Marine Renewable Energy Research and Development Act of 2007. Both of these bills address research development, demonstration, and commercial application of technologies to advance renewable energies. H.R. 2304 explores technologies to tap geothermal energy from the earth’s core. H.R. 2313 explores technologies to tap ocean energy.

During this committee markup, Congressman Bartlett improved the bills with several amendments. Congressman Bartlett’s amendments as well as the bills received unanimous, bipartisan support. He offered three amendments to H.R. 2304 and one to H.R. 2313. One amendment for H.R. 2304 directs the Secretary, in conjunction with the EPA, to weigh the pros and cons of any environmental impacts of geothermal energy compared to the reduction of Green House Gas (GHG) emissions as a result of using geothermal energy. This amendment is necessary because geothermal energy is a potentially huge source of clean, renewable, domestic base load power. Therefore, any impacts it may have on the environment should be weighed against the fact that it will be reducing the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere as it reduces the need for power plants that burn fossil fuels.

The Science and Technology Committee also unanimously agreed to Congressman Bartlett’s amendment to the Marine Renewable Energy Research and Development Act. His amendment includes the “development of corrosive-resistant materials” in the list of items that need further research. This amendment would emphasize the need for these types of materials to be developed due to the highly corrosive nature of the marine environment.

As an active member of the Science and Technology Committee, Congressman Bartlett made important statements and asked incisive questions at this week’s Energy and Environment Subcommittee hearing on the research and development opportunities and priorities related to the environmental impacts of expanding biofuels. Congressman Bartlett wisely pointed out that there has been unrealistic hype about the potential contributions of sustainable biomass as liquid fuel alternatives to petroleum. Congressman Bartlett said, “The bursting of the bubble of hype around corn ethanol illustrates that biomass can replace only a small fraction of our gasoline consumption.”

Congressman Bartlett ws invited to address the Brookings Institution’s seminar for future on “Science and Technology: Politics and Issues” for forty scientists who will be spending a year serving as Fellows in various posts in the Executive Branch.  He spoke on the topic of  "Deciding Science Policy in the Congress: A Member’s Perspective: Addressing the Challenge of “Peak Oil.”

On Thursday, Congressman Bartlett was a panelist at “Horizon 2020,” a series of satellite-linked policy debates between Washington D.C. and Brussels. He was a panelist for the discussion of whether biofuels policies unite the European Union (E.U.) and the U.S. or divide them. Congressman Bartlett welcomed the recognition by participants in that forum of the need to move from first generation grain ethanol, that results in food versus fuel competition, to second generation cellulosic ethanol. He was also gratified that participants understood the challenge of developing sustainable biomass energy to maintain soil fertility while considering other environmental impacts, such as greenhouse gas emissions, land use and water resource management.

Later on Thursday, Congressman Bartlett attended and spoke at the 10th Annual Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Expo and Forum. The Forum is presented by the House and Senate Renewable Energy and Efficiency Caucuses in cooperation with the Sustainable Energy Coalition. Congressman Bartlett is a member of the Caucus.

Today, Congressman Bartlett testified at a hearing before the Members of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission concerning energy. The Commission was established by Congress in 2000. The Commission has been charged to examine and report to Congress about energy considering: “The effect of the large and growing economy of the People’s Republic of China on world energy supplies and the role the United States can play (including joint research and development efforts and technological assistance), in influencing the energy policy of the People’s Republic of China.”

In his testimony, Congressman Bartlett remarked that energy will be the dominant issue affecting our nation and our world in the 21st Century. He stated that in 8,000 years of recorded history, we are 150 years into the Age of Oil. He noted that most petroleum experts reviewed in a March 27, 2007 GAO report that he commissioned, project that for all practical purposes a peak in world oil production is imminent—that it will occur before 2020. Because demand is increasing, oil is a finite resource and the U.S. is the most oil dependent economy in the world, GAO projects the consequences of peak for the U.S. will be devastating. After the world peaks in oil production we will continue to use oil for about another 150 years, but in declining amounts, instead of the increasing amounts that we’re used to.

Congressman Bartlett noted that the Chinese understand that the Age of Oil will be a blip in world history and are planning for both global peak oil in 2012 as well as post-oil. “Post-oil. The Chinese get it. I wish Americans and our national leadership understood this.” He stated that global peak oil will not be the end of oil, but it will be the end of cheap oil and cheap energy. Congressman Bartlett noted because we have built a lifestyle and a civilization in the United States that is totally dependent upon cheap oil and cheap energy, peak oil poses a challenge that our country must overcome.

The Chinese have a five point program to plan for peak and post-oil, Congressman Bartlett told Commission members. 1. Conservation 2. Increase the proportion of domestic sources of energy. 3. Diversify sources of energy. 4. Limit negative impact on the environment 5. Engage in international cooperation. “These are exactly the correct steps and steps that the U.S. should be undertaking,” said Congressman Bartlett. China is preparing for cooperation or confrontation to address a post-oil world. The U.S. is not preparing at all.”

“What America needs to do to avoid a really bumpy ride from peak oil” said Congressman Bartlett, “which will require Presidential leadership, is to develop a program with three attributes: the total commitment of World War II; the technology focus and intensity of the Apollo program to land a man on the moon; and the urgency of the Manhattan Project to develop the atom bomb.”

Congressman Bartlett finished the week with the latest in his series of one-hour Special Order speeches about peak oil. “Washington Sketch” Washington Post columnist Dana Milbank quoted Congressman Bartlett in the last paragraph of his column in today’s paper about this week’s energy-related events, “A Wind-Powered Town, an Energy Bill and a Lot of Hot Air” http://www.washingtonpost.com

Milbank’s column began, “There's a certain irony in Washington's failure to devise a modern energy policy. This is, after all, the one place on earth that is powered almost entirely by wind.”

Milbank summed up the outcome of week’s activities, “Lawmakers are growing further apart on energy legislation, as Democrats demand alternative fuels and Republicans insist on more drilling. But for both sides, the ability to talk about energy is both plentiful and renewable.”

Milbank concluded “over in the Cannon Caucus Room, where the renewable energy caucus was caucusing …It was a festive gathering, but Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-Md.), a champion of renewable energy, delivered a somber message about progress in the capital. ‘We've been crawling at a snail's pace,’ he said. ‘We've been doing little more than nibbling at the edges.’”