A group of seven Democrats introduced legislation Tuesday to establish a nationwide renewable energy mandate to make wind, solar and other renewables 30 percent of the nation’s electricity generation by 2030.
The bill harkens back to past attempts to pass a similar measure when Democrats held the majority in the Senate.
Aides say Democrats on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will use a slew of energy bill hearings to drum up support for the bill.
“A national Renewable Electricity Standard will help slow utility rate increases and boost private investment in states … all while combating climate change,” said Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., who led the charge to pass a Renewable Electricity Standard when he served in the House. “Investing in homegrown clean energy jobs just makes sense, and that’s why I’m continuing my fight for a national [standard].”
The renewable standard would require utilities to generate an ever-increasing amount of their electricity from renewables, beginning in 2016 at 8 percent and ratcheting up to 30 percent by 2030.
Udall was joined by six of his Democratic colleagues in introducing the energy bill, including Ed Markey of Massachusetts, who was the principal author of comprehensive climate change legislation that passed 2009 when he was a member of the House. The climate bill, referred to as Waxman-Markey, included a similar renewable standard. It passed the House but failed in the Senate.
Other Democrats on the new bill include Martin Heinrich of New Mexico, Michael Bennet of Colorado, Jeff Merkley of Oregon, Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island and Mazie K. Hirono of Hawaii.
A joint statement said many states have instituted their own renewable energy standards, with slight variations and targets across the country. A federal bill would build on the success of those programs and would not preempt states that have set more aggressive standards.
The statement does not discuss whether the Democrats think they can secure GOP support for the bill, especially as Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairwoman Lisa Murkowski plans a robust legislative agenda that aims at passing comprehensive legislation by the end of the year, according to aides.
Murkowski has introduced a range of bills in the last week that are focused more on oil and gas issues than a federal renewable energy mandate.
When asked if she would support the bill, Robert Dillon, a spokesman for the chairwoman, simply replied, “States are already doing it.”
Dillon said the senator is not opposed to the Democrats on the committee raising the bill as part of the debate over energy legislation, but most of the decisions on whether to include a bill like the renewable standard will be made much later in the process. “Those decisions will be made after the markups,” Dillon said.
A Democratic aide says there is growing support for a renewable electricity standard. Observers note that during floor debate earlier this year on the Keystone XL pipeline bill, amendments related to renewable energy and climate change received significant votes. Democrats say that’s a good sign of support for the bill.
