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Posted: Friday, March 2nd, 2012 6:43 AM HST
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Ed Case calls for national policy focused on green energy
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United States Senate candidate and former Congressman Ed Case (D-HI) today called for a full rewrite of our national energy policy to focus public-private efforts on the development of affordable, sustainable, clean energy.
"Rising gas and electricity prices are just one symptom of an outdated and shortsighted energy policy which puts all our eggs in the fossil fuel basket", said Case. "We know that's not going to work over the next generations, and we know we need to change course today to assure our energy needs tomorrow. We just need strong effective leadership in DC to get there."
Case's energy agenda seeks an end to taxpayer subsidies of Big Oil and a reinvestment of government resources in a range of green energy research and development efforts. It also calls for a national energy standard to require a minimum level of green energy electricity production and for increased car efficiency.
Case singled out Department of Defense green energy R&D for support. "For the DoD, domestically-produced green energy is not just a budget issue but a matter of national security, as we can't allow foreign energy sources to compromise our defense", said Case. "Hawai'i stands to benefit tremendously from increased DoD R&D as DoD's interests in energy sources like tropical biofuels are right up our alley."
"And it's not just DoD. A national green energy policy will benefit Hawai'i across the board because we are the natural laboratory for so many of the promising green energy technologies from solar to geothermal, wind, ocean thermal, biofuels, wave and on. So not only do we help ourselves, as the most fossil fuel-dependent and exposed state in our country, not only do we help our national economy and world environment, but we help create a whole range of good new jobs for our own future."
This is the fifth agenda release (below) of Case's Senate candidacy. Earlier releases focused on growing our economy, strengthening tourism, ensuring Hawaii's defense community, and fixing Washington; see http://www.edcase.com/issues/agenda.
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