“A new energy policy is an environmental, national security
and economic imperative, and there is no time to waste.”
-- Jeanne Shaheen
As Governor, Jeanne Shaheen set a new energy course for New Hampshire by developing the state’s first comprehensive energy plan, moving New Hampshire toward more renewable energy, increased energy efficiency, and cleaner energy supplies. She brought Republicans and Democrats together to pass the Clean Power Act, making New Hampshire the first state in the nation to enact a law requiring power plants to reduce emissions of four pollutants: carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and mercury. Her State Building Energy Conservation Initiative improved energy efficiency in state buildings, reducing carbon emissions and saving the state several million dollars a year in energy costs. Energy efficiency programs initiated by the Shaheen administration have saved New Hampshire families and businesses almost $400 million and reduced greenhouse gas emissions by millions of tons.
As our United States Senator, Jeanne Shaheen will work to establish a smart national energy policy that ends our dependence on foreign oil, reverses global warming, and creates good jobs.
END THE TAX BREAKS FOR THE BIG OIL AND GAS COMPANIES
Every year, Congress gives away approximately $13 billion to the oil and gas industries. Meanwhile, big oil companies are making record profits. In 2007, ExxonMobil reported a $40.6 billion profit, the highest profit of any company in history. Instead of throwing taxpayer dollars at the policies of the past, Jeanne Shaheen believes we need to invest in the energy technologies of the future. As Senator, she will fight to end the subsidies to the big oil and gas companies and invest that money in new energy efficiency and clean energy technologies.
CREATE GOOD JOBS ACROSS THE ECONOMY
Investment in alternative energy and energy efficiency will create jobs across the economy: construction, manufacturing, servicing, logging, wood cutting, truck driving -- and will have a ripple effect, boosting the economy wherever people working these newly-created jobs spend their wages.
REVERSE GLOBAL WARMING
Reversing global warming is an economic, environmental and health imperative for New Hampshire. If we don’t act to reverse global warming, New Hampshire’s snow season is projected to shrink by almost 50 percent by mid-century, severely impacting our skiing and snowmobile industries. Increasing temperatures also will negatively impact fall foliage tourism, the hunting and fishing industries, and maple sugar production. Our small but precious coastline faces substantial increases in the extent and frequency of coastal flooding, erosion, and property damage. Global warming worsens air quality, putting more stress on people with heart conditions and respiratory conditions, like asthma, and New Hampshire already has one of the highest rates of childhood asthma in the country. Jeanne Shaheen believes it’s long past time that Washington take action. Jeanne Shaheen supports the goal of cutting carbon emissions by 80 percent by 2050, and in the US Senate will push for a comprehensive plan to achieve that goal that includes economy-wide emissions reductions, aggressive research and development for new energy technologies, work with international partners to achieve global emissions reductions, and incentives for energy efficiency and clean alternative energy sources.
MAKE NEW HAMPSHIRE A RENEWABLE ENERGY CAPITAL
New Hampshire has all the necessary natural resources – wood and wind - to become the alternative energy capital of New England, and New Hampshire is home to companies that are doing cutting edge research on converting wood waste such as wood chips, saw dust, tree bark and paper pulp to cellulosic ethanol. Jeanne Shaheen believes we need to spur the creation of markets for new energy products made from New Hampshire’s natural wood and wind resources by increasing our investment in research and development and in tax credits for homeowners and businesses who buy the boilers, stoves, appliances, and other hardware needed to convert to renewable power and fuels.
EXPAND TAX CREDITS FOR HOMEOWNERS AND BUSINESSES
Expanded use of energy efficient technologies and alternative power systems like solar panels, wind turbines, and ground source heat pumps is the least expensive and cleanest way to meet our energy needs. In the Senate, Jeanne Shaheen will push to increase tax incentives for homeowners and businesses that purchase energy-efficient and alternative power systems.
END OUR DEPENDENCE ON FOREIGN OIL
Our dependence on foreign oil threatens our economy and our national security. The price of a barrel of oil is at a record high, and the cost of gasoline and heating oil is squeezing our families and strangling our businesses. Because of our dependence on foreign oil, we are transferring massive amounts of wealth to countries that are hostile to our interests. In the Senate, Jeanne Shaheen will push to end our dependence on foreign oil.
DEVELOP A 21st CENTURY ELECTRIC TRANSMISSION SYSTEM
Our existing electric transmission system was designed for the power sources of the 20th century – large power plants burning oil, gas and coal built near large population centers. This outdated transmission system restricts our ability to develop smaller power plants fueled by wood and wind. We need to invest in a transmission infrastructure that lets us take advantage of our abundant natural resources. In the Senate, Jeanne Shaheen will push the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to develop an expedited process for approving transmission upgrades in areas where significant renewable resources are located and for the establishment of renewable energy zones to promote the financing and construction of transmission infrastructure to serve renewable generation facilities.
