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June 26, 2001
ROCKEFELLER URGES ACTION ON CLEAN COAL TECHNOLOGY
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) joined his colleagues today in calling for passage of legislation designed to increase our nation’s ability to produce clean coal technology. Rockefeller is a cosponsor of S.60, the National Electricity and Environmental Technology (NEET) Act, legislation that was introduced earlier this year by Senator Robert C. Byrd (D-WV). A similar version of the legislation was introduced in the House today.
The NEET bill calls for tax incentives for companies who invest in clean coal technology and federal funding for research and development into clean coal.
"Clean coal technology will play a critical role in the future of our national energy policy. We must take the necessary steps now to ensure that clean coal is part of our comprehensive approach. By devoting adequate resources for investment in research and development, we will soon be on the path to a coal-fired electricity generation that is cleaner and more efficient," Rockefeller said.
Provisions in the clean coal technology bill, include expanding research and development by approximately $1 billion over ten years; providing up to $10 billion in tax incentives for existing coal-fired utilities who adopt state of the art technologies; and, providing about $4 billion in incentives to utilities who choose clean coal-fired generation for new plants, and who invest in the most advanced technologies.
"Clean coal technology has the ability to transform the way we produce energy not only in my home state of West Virginia, but across the rest of the country," Rockefeller said. "It’s time to move this bill forward and start taking advantage of this abundant resource."
Noting that coal-fired utilities currently provide over 50 percent of the nation’s electricity, Rockefeller said that, "the introduction of the bipartisan House bill today provides additional momentum to ensure that clean coal technology is part of any future national energy policy."
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