WASHINGTON – Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions (CRES) sent a letter to House and Senate leadership urging immediate passage of theReinvesting In Shoreline Economies and Ecosystems Act (RISEE Act) before the 118th Congress adjourns. The RISEE Act, which the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources advanced with strong bipartisan support, promotes energy development while mitigating the impacts of climate change by making our coastal communities more resilient and creating opportunities for clean energy development. The legislation is led by Senators Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.).
“Supporting the development of offshore wind can bolster America’s industrial strength, enhance efficiency and reduce dependence on foreign energy sources. This approach not only advances our energy independence but also delivers substantial economic and job benefits,” CRES President Heather Reams wrote in the letter. “During this lame duck session, we urge Congress to seize this opportunity to pass the RISEE Act as a critical component of our nation’s all-of-the-above energy and environmental strategy. This bipartisan legislation represents a meaningful step toward strengthening America’s energy independence, fostering economic growth and building climate-resilient coastal communities.”
The full letter can be found HERE.
Last week, CRES, in partnership with the Louisiana State University Center for Energy Studies (LSU-CES), unveiled a white paper, “Potential Economic Implications of Offshore Wind for the U.S. Economy,” authored by Dr. Greg Upton Jr., LSU-CES Executive Director and Associate Research Professor, and Gregory Albrecht, LSU-CES Research Fellow. The paper considers the economic benefits of two potential U.S. offshore wind build-out scenarios, the 2023 Annual Energy Outlook (AEO) projection and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) projection, including job creation and GDP.
In November, CRES applauded the advancement of the RISEE Act from the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources by a bipartisan vote. In May, Heather Reams joined Conservative Energy Network (CEN) President John Szoka in an op-ed highlighting their sixth annual congressional fly-in, where the groups advocated for the RISEE Act.