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Politicians
Who Care About the Environment
Ken Salazar, U.S. Senator,
Colorado
Dear Mr. Lee:
Thank you for contacting me regarding energy independence.
I appreciate hearing from you.
America has an energy problem. We are dependent on foreign
oil, our increasing consumption deepens our dependence,
and rising energy costs are hurting America’s families and
businesses. Our current rate of growth puts us on track to
import 70% of our oil in 2020, at costs even higher than
today’s. I am pleased that the President recognized the
importance of energy independence in his State of the
Union address and expressed an interest in working toward
a solution.
Our energy problem is both a challenge and an opportunity.
It challenges us to think boldly, to explore new ideas,
and to find and develop alternative sources of energy. In
the Senate I have been a champion for renewable energy and
energy efficiency, working with my colleagues on a number
of legislative initiatives that will help us cut our
dependence on foreign oil.
Just recently, I was proud that a number of alternative
energy tax incentives from bills that I introduced were
signed into law. These extensions of tax credits for wind,
solar, and biofuels production will help give investors
and renewable energy developers added certainty as they
bring their clean energy to market. I was also pleased
that the President recently signed into law tax incentives
for energy efficiency in homes and businesses from a bill
I introduced.
You may also be interested to know that I am part of a
bipartisan group of Senators that have introduced S. 339,
the DRIVE Act. This bill, similar to a bill I and others
introduced last year called the Vehicle and Fuel Choices
for American Security Act, promotes conservation and
renewable energy production. The DRIVE Act improves the
efficiency of our vehicles, which account for nearly
two-thirds of our oil consumption, by mandating the
installation of flexible fuel technology in new vehicles,
by improving tire efficiency, by encouraging research and
development to improve gas mileage, and by promoting the
production and use of hybrid and advanced diesel engines.
To help expand the availability of renewable fuels for our
vehicle fleet, the DRIVE Act encourages the expansion of
our bio-refinery capacity and our ability to produce E85,
a fuel that is an 85% ethanol mix.
I am excited by the opportunities afforded by renewable
energy and I am proud that Colorado, with its National
Renewable Energy Laboratory, its extensive farmland, its
solar resources, its winds, and with the ingenuity of its
residents, is poised to become a global leader in
renewable energy development.
Please be assured that I will keep your thoughts in mind
as I continue to fight for energy independence. Thanks
again for contacting me.
Sincerely,
Ken Salazar
United States Senator
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