Speeches - By Date

As I = m sure Ben Franklin would agree, we sure have come a long way since America = s energy policy was a kite and a key. President Bush = s historic national energy strategy wisely includes measures to help promote energy conservation and reduce our reliance on conventional electricity sources.

Conventional electricity generation is the single largest industrial source of air pollution in America. Increasing the usage of alternative and renewable energy sources is not only an integral part of our energy future, but our environmental future as well. In order to accomplish this goal, we need the type of environmental leadership on display today by Independence National Park and Green Mountain Energy.

Over the next three years, Independence National Park B and other federal facilities in the Philadelphia region B have made a commitment to purchase over 11 million kilowatt hours of green power. That= s roughly the amount of power used by 440 average homes over three years time.

Using green power, instead of conventional electricity, reduces harmful emissions of carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and mercury. So the green power purchase being announced here today is something that should make us all breathe easier.

I want to commend the efforts of the General Services Administration and Department of Energy regional offices in partnering with our EPA Region 3 office to successfully market renewable energy to the federal agencies in this area. The federal government must continue to lead by example in this area of energy and environmental stewardship. With that in mind, the EPA developed the Green Power Partnership.

This voluntary program is working to make green power purchasing a common business practice. Since its beginning in the summer of 2001, 70 organizations, including industrial companies, cities, states, universities, and federal agencies, have committed to making the switch to green power.

Independence National Park, one of our Green Power Partners, is the first green-powered national landmark, setting a precedent that can be followed by other national historic facilities around the nation. With that kind of commitment to innovation and creativity, is it any wonder that Ben Franklin approves. Thank you.