National Energy Issues: Hearings Before the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, One Hundred Seventh Congress

OCLC Number: (OCoLC)48463472 Subject: Energy policy -- United States. Excerpt: ...s that reflect that same balance of the array of energy options we ... Show synopsis OCLC Number: (OCoLC)48463472 Subject: Energy policy -- United States. Excerpt: ...s that reflect that same balance of the array of energy options we have before us.Increasing the efficient use of energy is the single most effective and least-cost policy for both the short term and the long term. Energy efficiency can reduce the demand for tight energy supplies and can reduce the upward pressure on energy prices. Energy efficiency allows us to maintain the same economic productivity and quality of life with less energy input, and efficiency helps us reduce pollution and environmental impacts associated with energy production and use.There are some interesting statistics that the Alliance to Save Energy, a group that I have been associated with for many years, has come up with. Their analysis shows that energy efficiency provided the Nation with 27 quadrillion Btu's, or quads, or about 22 percent of U.S. energy consumption in 1999. This made energy efficiency the second leading source of energy in 1999, trailing oil consumption, which was 38 quads, but contributing more than natural gas (22 quads), coal (22 quads), nuclear (8 quads), and hydro (4 quads).We have some excellent witnesses today, including the Assistant Secretary Garman, who is, of course, well-known and respected by all of us on this committee, so I will stop my remarks and defer to Senator Murkowski, Secretary Garman's former boss.STATEMENT OF HON. FRANK H. MURKOWSKI, U.S. SENATOR FROM ALASKASenator Murkowski. Thank you, Senator Bingaman. Although I think you and I both know that we usually work for our people, they seem to lay out our schedule and dictate the terms and conditions under which we come in, and I understand that it was your staff that set the hearing on Friday, as opposed to the usual procedure, but you have got a good crowd here, and obviously the Senate Energy Committee is working on Friday. The hall... Hide synopsis