WASHINGTON - Following announcements by the Obama administration’s Interior and Energy agencies on promoting the future development of wind energy off America’s shores, Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) the top Democrat on the Natural Resources Committee and a senior member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, and Rep. Rush Holt (D-N.J.), the Ranking Democrat on the Natural Resources Committee’s Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources, issued statements praising the administration’s actions.
Rep. Markey said, “The same winds that brought the first settlers to America’s shores can create the energy jobs that will power a new era of American independence from foreign oil.
“By prioritizing deployment along with design, the Obama administration recognizes that the energy race of the 21st century won’t just be about innovation, it will be about installation.
“Last week, Gallup released a poll that showed above any other major policy the American people want an energy plan that prioritizes wind and solar energy. There are one million megawatts of wind energy off America’s Atlantic coast just waiting to be built by American workers. Yet this week, instead of focusing on creating clean energy jobs, some House Republican leaders are attacking the clean energy policies that will unleash the innovative spirit of the American entrepreneur."
Rep. Holt said,“Wind energy is the fastest growing energy source in the U.S., but nothing close to what it could be. Standing in the way of wind power meeting its potential in New Jersey and nationwide are technical, budgetary, and bureaucratic challenges. Today’s welcome announcement is an important step to cut through red tape and accelerate the development of the next generation of clean energy technology in New Jersey."
