REPP EXEC. DIRECTOR TESTIFIES AT CONGRESSIONAL HEARING

In June 17, 2002 comments titled "Energy: Maximizing Resources; Meeting Our Needs; Retaining Jobs," Exec. Director George Sterzinger testified to the House Government Reform Committee Subcommittee on Energy Policy, Natural Resources and Regulatory Affairs:

"Chairman Ose, Congressman Tierney and members of the Committee, let me thank you for the invitation to address the Committee. The subject of your investigation – to maximize resources, meet our energy needs, and retain jobs – is one that concerns the Renewable Energy Policy Project (REPP).

REPP works to develop and support policies that will accelerate the market acceptance of renewable energy. We believe that accelerated acceptance of renewables will provide energy services at or below the cost of relying totally non-renewable technologies, take advantage of many local resources, such as biomass, that are currently underutilized or wasted, and provide a tremendous stimulus to local economies.

The benefits of renewable energy have been the subject of studies for many years. Those studies show convincingly that renewables can provide an important part of the next increment to the nation’s supply infrastructure but are unlikely to do so without intervention to remove several barriers that currently block market acceptance. Delivering the benefits of renewable development to the people and localities that need jobs will build the understanding and support that can remove further blocks to renewable development, and so on."