The House this week approved two of four bills carrying Gov. Rendell’s Energy Independence Initiative by relatively wide margins. They dealt with renewable transportation fuels and expanding the role played by the Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority.

House Bill 1202 (Gerber-D-Montgomery), requiring transportation fuels to have renewable content, was passed by the House 138-60.

The bill requires all diesel fuel to have at least 2 percent renewable content when in-state production of biodiesel reaches 30 million gallons per year and up to 10 percent biodiesel when in-state production reaches 150 million gallons of biodiesel. It also requires gasoline to have at least 10 percent ethanol content.when in-state production of ethanol reaches 200 million gallons annually.

House Bill 1200 (DePasquale-D-York,) that would expand the responsibilities of the PA Energy Development Authority, was passed by the House 128-70.

The bill would authorize the Authority it to fund projects that promote the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards, energy efficiency technologies, create rebate and incentive programs for distribution of energy efficient products and provide loans and grants of working capital to promote the development of clean energy technologies. The bill also removes the $300 million cap on indebitness the Authority can manage.

“Pennsylvania took a major step towards energy independence tonight,” said Gov. Rendell. “After rigorous debate, members of both parties came together to support our plan for strengthening Pennsylvania’s economy and environment. The fact that these bills passed with more than two-thirds of the vote illustrates a strong level of bipartisan support, and a recognition that we must do more to protect our state’s energy future and create new opportunities for our men and women.”

Also seeing House action this week, but not final passage, were the two other pieces of Gov. Rendell’s energy initiative—

· House Bill 1203 (Hornaman-D-Erie) amending the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Act was reported from the House Rules Committee, amended on the floor and re-committed to and reported from House Appropriations Committee

The bill seeks to make it easier for distributed energy generators to hook into the electric grid, makes changes to net metering reqirements, adds solar thermal energy to the Tier 1 renewable energy requirements and changes the ramp up for the solar energy requirement, outlines in more detail the alternative energy credit program and stipulates ownership requirements for alternative energy credits.; and

· House Bill 1201 (George-D-Clearfield) making changes to Title 66 (Utility Code) was amended and reported out of the House Consumere Affairs Committee, then re-referred to the House Rules Committee. The bill includes a system benefit charge to fund the Energy Independence Initiative.

Rep. Bud George (D-Clearfield) and Majority Chairman of the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee said moving Pennsylvania toward energy independence -- and creating 35,000 jobs and saving $10 billion over the next 10 years -- hinges on approval of his House Bill 1201, which was approved by the House Consumer Affairs Committee Tuesday and sent to the full House.

"None of the other responsible goals of the strategy -- improving the environment, creating jobs and protecting consumers -- is possible without House Bill 1201," Rep. George said. "It is the lynchpin to making Pennsylvania an energy leader instead of a loser."

Rep. George said the "systems benefits charge" in HB 1201 would seed an $850 million Energy Independence Fund that would fuel Pennsylvania's advances in conservation, clean energy and energy diversification.

"The charge -- less than $6 a year for homeowners -- should save those consumers nearly almost $75 a year in energy savings," Rep. George said. "House Bill 1201 would enable Pennsylvania to act now to counter the job- and economy-killing electric rate increases looming on the horizon."

"If House Bill 1201 saves us -- homeowners, businesses and industries -- money it shouldn't be smeared as a tax increase," Rep. George said. "We must take bold action on energy now or remain forever weak, dependent and beholden to special interests."

NewsClips: Rendell Applauds House Action Moving Energy Plan

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Element of Rendell Energy Plan Passes House

Rendell Threatens to Hold Budget Captive to His Energy Plan

Solar Power Industry Voices Support for Energy Plan

McGinty Receives Clean Energy Leadership Recognition

6/22/2007