As originally published in The Knoxville News Sentinel: here
Because of U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander’s efforts, the broad, bipartisan energy bill being considered by the Senate would help lower energy costs and provide an abundance of clean, cheap, reliable energy for Tennessee.
The bill, known as the Energy Policy Modernization Act of 2015, includes several key Tennessee-specific provisions championed by Alexander that already passed the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Notably, the Energy Title of America COMPETES Reauthorization Act, the ExaSCALE Computing Leadership Act and language from the Vehicle Innovation Act will boost the Department of Energy’s ability to find new ways to make clean, cheap, reliable energy. Alexander’s work will also place the U.S. on a path to double funding for basic energy research at locations such as Oak Ridge National Laboratory, an accomplishment experts view as a necessary prerequisite to keep good-paying, local jobs from going overseas.
If signed into law, the energy legislation would be the first broad energy legislation in eight years. Thanks to Alexander’s hard work and determination to achieve bipartisan progress, Tennesseans can be sure it will deliver for their state.
James Dozier, Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions, Washington, D.C.