Archive for the ‘Energy’ Category

House Passes Gordon Bill Banning Nuclear Waste Imports

Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009


WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. House of Representatives approved Congressman Bart Gordon’s bipartisan legislation to ban the importation of foreign radioactive waste. Gordon’s bill, the Radioactive Import Deterrence (RID) Act, H.R. 515, would prevent foreign-generated radioactive waste from being processed in Tennessee and disposed in the U.S.

“The United States stands alone as the only country in the world that imports other countries’ radioactive waste for permanent disposal,” Gordon said as he explained his bill on the House floor. “The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission is currently considering the importation of 20,000 tons of Italian waste. Other countries are reading the signs that the U.S. is poised to become a nuclear dumping ground, permit applications are also pending for the importation of Brazilian and Mexican waste.”

The Italian waste importation would be the largest importation ever of foreign-generated radioactive waste. If the permits for the Italian, Brazilian, and Mexican waste importations are approved, the nuclear waste shipments would be sent to Tennessee for processing and later disposed in Utah.

Gordon has led the effort in Congress to stop these importations and ban the practice of allowing other countries to dispose their radioactive waste in the U.S. The bipartisan RID Act would prohibit the Nuclear Regulatory Commission from authorizing the importation of foreign-generated low-level nuclear waste for disposal in the U.S. unless the President deems the importation would meet critical national or international goals.

“This waste is generated all over the United States, but finding permanent disposal sites has proved difficult,” said Gordon. “Foreign waste threatens the capacity we have set aside in this country for the waste generated by our domestic industries—our medical facilities, university research labs and utility companies. It is critical that Congress protect that capacity. Today’s vote brings the RID Act one step closer to becoming law.”

One site, located in Utah, stores 99% of the United States’ low-level radioactive waste. Gordon’s bill would preserve the limited disposal space at this site for domestic companies that generate low-level radioactive waste. Having passed the House, the bill now moves to the Senate.

Posted in Energy, Environment, Legislation, Public Safety, Rep. Bart Gordon (D-6) | 1 Comment »

Gordon Helps Pass 3 Bills To Boost Small Business

Wednesday, November 18th, 2009

bartgordonWASHINGTON – Congressman Bart Gordon supported three bipartisan bills today aimed at helping small businesses in Tennessee and around the country. Each bill was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives.

The House approved the Small Business Health Information Technology Financing Act (H.R. 3014), which would create a loan program in the U.S. Small Business Administration to help medical professionals purchase health information technology.

“Numerous studies have shown that if doctors and hospitals started using secure health information technology systems, like electronic medical records, billions of dollars could be saved each year nationwide,” said Gordon who has been a longtime advocate for reducing the costs of practicing medicine.

Earlier this year, the President implemented a tort reform initiative that Gordon developed to reduce the number of frivolous medical malpractice lawsuits that doctors face.

The House also passed the Small Business Early-Stage Investment Act (H.R. 3738) and the Expand Entrepreneurship Act (H.R. 1842). Both measures aim to support new, promising small businesses.

“Early-stage businesses have been found to be some of the best job creators, but starting a new business is no easy task,” said Gordon. “These bills create important SBA programs that will assist small businesses in getting up and running. Helping small businesses grow is especially important for Tennessee’s economy, where more than 95% of our state’s private workforce is employed by small businesses.”

The Small Business Early-Stage Investment Act creates an SBA investment program tasked with providing grants to small businesses involved in health information technology, digital technology, defense technology, and agriculture research and development. The Expand Entrepreneurship Act directs the SBA to develop a comprehensive plan that identifies a strategy for each SBA region to create jobs through its programs.

Having passed the House, the three bills will now move to the Senate for consideration.

Posted in Business, Economy, Education, Energy, Environment, Health care, Jobs, Legislation, Rep. Bart Gordon (D-6) | No Comments »

Gordon Gaining Traction with Nuclear Waste Ban

Tuesday, October 27th, 2009

bartgordonThe following editorial has gone national, being printed in the Jackson Sun, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, and even Columbus’ Coshocton Tribune …

DON’T LET U.S. BE GLOBAL NUCLEAR WASTE DUMP

Published: Tuesday, October 27, 2009 at 1:00 a.m.

If a friend asked to dump his garbage in your yard because he knew you would know what to do with it, what would you say? Probably, no thanks. That’s what the U.S. should say to countries that want to send their nuclear waste here for processing and storage.

Thankfully, Sen. Lamar Alexander and U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon are sponsoring legislation in Congress to keep other countries’ nuclear waste out of the U.S. …

The controversy arose when a private Utah company, EnergySolutions, asked the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for permission to bring in 20,000 tons of low-level radioactive waste from Italy. The company would process the waste in Tennessee and store the resulting 1,600 tons at a private facility 80 miles west of Salt Lake City. The NRC said it has applications from Mexico and Brazil to do the same thing.

The U.S. handles its own nuclear waste based on a regional system established by Congress in the 1980s. Current laws don’t address importing nuclear waste from other countries. …

The problem with allowing the waste to come to the U.S. is that America will become the world’s dumping ground for nuclear waste. That’s because no other country will accept the stuff. This is not a “world leader” designation America needs.

– The Jackson, Tenn., Sun

Posted in Energy, Environment, Legislation, Public Safety, Rep. Bart Gordon (D-6), Watchdog Alert | 1 Comment »

Gordon Votes for Solar Tech Bill to Boost Tennessee Jobs

Thursday, October 22nd, 2009

bartgordonWASHINGTON – To build upon the new solar technology jobs being created in Tennessee, Congressman Bart Gordon used his chairmanship of the House Science and Technology Committee to advance the Solar Technology Roadmap Act. The bipartisan bill overwhelmingly passed the full U.S. House of Representatives in a vote of 310 to 106 today.

“If solar power isn’t the first thing you think of when I talk about Tennessee, I’ll forgive you,” Congressman Gordon said during his opening remarks about the Solar Roadmap bill on the House Floor today. “But over the last few years we’ve really seen first-hand the major potential that solar energy has to create new jobs and reduce our dependence on foreign oil in the process.”

The Solar Roadmap bill, H.R. 3585, would establish a comprehensive process to facilitate the research, development and demonstration of American solar technology in partnership with the private sector. The bill would also direct the Department of Energy to award grants to entrepreneurs, research agencies and academic laboratories that are leading the field in solar technology development and solar manufacturing.

“Solar technology is creating jobs throughout Tennessee and the rest of the country,” explained Gordon. “The short- and long-term roadmap that will be written as a result of this bill is modeled on the successful National Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors, which has been instrumental in creating thousands of jobs and helping the semiconductor technology industry advance rapidly over the past two decades.”

The Solar Roadmap bill would require the U.S. Secretary of Energy to appoint an 11-member Solar Technology Roadmap Committee to write, review and update a Solar Technology Roadmap. Moving forward, the roadmap will provide a path to make solar technology more dependable and widely available to American consumers.

“The solar technology plants in Clarksville and Cleveland, as well as Nissan’s electric car and battery plant in Smyrna, are going to be instrumental in making Tennessee a leader in the new clean energy industries that will help our country become more energy independent,” added Gordon. “This bill will help additional solar projects get off the ground and boost job growth in the process.”

The Solar Technology Roadmap Act has been endorsed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. In a letter of support, the Chamber wrote, “Increased research, development, and demonstration of solar technology is crucial to America’s energy security needs, and H.R. 3585 would help move one step closer to that goal.”

The bill has also been endorsed by the National Association of Manufacturers, the Solar Energy Industries Association, BP, IBM, Intel and National Semiconductor. Having passed the House, the bill now moves to the Senate for consideration.

Posted in Business, Economy, Education, Energy, Environment, Jobs, Legislation, Rep. Bart Gordon (D-6) | No Comments »

Action by Congress Needed to Stop Nuclear Waste Imports

Friday, October 16th, 2009

bartgordon WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon’s bill to ban imports of nuclear waste got a boost today when an official from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission confirmed the agency currently lacks the power and authority to stop imports and disposal of foreign-generated radioactive waste in the United States.

“The NRC, the very agency that regulates low-level radioactive waste, made clear unless my bill is passed, nothing will stop countries like Mexico, Italy and Brazil from dumping their radioactive waste in our country,” said Gordon. “The fact is we have limited space for this kind of waste and it should be reserved for domestic industries that generate it – the medical facilities, university research labs and utility companies. These industries, in 36 states, have only one available disposal site to use located in Clive, Utah.”

Today’s legislative hearing on Gordon’s bill, the Radioactive Import Deterrence (RID) Act, H.R. 515, was held before the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Energy and the Environment.

During the hearing, Gordon asked the NRC official, Margaret Doane, if it was fair to summarize her testimony by saying unless Congress makes a policy decision, the NRC currently doesn’t have the authority to stop foreign radioactive waste from entering the U.S. for disposal.

“That’s right,” Doane responded.

The U.S. is the only country in the world that imports radioactive waste of other countries for disposal. Currently, a permit is pending with NRC to import 20,000 tons of Italian low-level radioactive waste for disposal in the U.S., which would be the largest importation ever of foreign-generated radioactive waste. Permits to import and dispose of radioactive waste from Mexico and Brazil are also pending. If these permits are approved, the nuclear waste shipments would be transported to Tennessee for processing and later disposed of in Utah.

Gordon’s legislation, the RID Act, would ban the Nuclear Regulatory Commission from authorizing the importation of foreign-generated radioactive waste for disposal in the U.S. unless the President deems the importation would meet critical national or international policy goals.

“By banning the importation of radioactive waste for disposal, we’ll also send the world the right message: if you are going to produce low-level radioactive waste, you’ve got to build the necessary disposal facilities,” stated Gordon during the hearing.

Posted in Energy, Environment, Legislation, Rep. Bart Gordon (D-6) | No Comments »

Bill Seeks End to Radioactive Dumping in Rutherford County

Monday, August 10th, 2009

clean-logo1NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Today, Families for a Clean Tennessee announced a statewide campaign aimed at encouraging state legislators to commit to supporting Senate Bill 687, a bill aimed at ending the process of Bulk Survey for Release.

Bulk Survey for Release, or BSFR, is a process that allows nuclear waste from across the United States to be dumped in ordinary Tennessee landfills. SB 687 was introduced by Sen. Marrero (D-30) during this year’s legislative session but did not receive a hearing or a vote in committee. The bill is eligible for consideration in 2010.

The pledge campaign comes just days after InsiderAdvantage and the Southern Political Report announced that while polling for the upcoming Tennessee gubernatorial election, they uncovered that more than 80 percent of respondents were “very concerned” that nuclear waste could be dumped in ordinary landfills in Tennessee. [Access the Southern Political Report Article]

“This issue is potential political dynamite,” said InsiderAdvatnave CEO Matt Towery. “This is not a Democrat or Republican issue as best I can see…what makes this a potential bombshell issue is that most in the state don’t realize nuclear dumping in landfills is allowed, and when they hear it is, they are shocked. When you add to the equation that Tennessee landfills are taking other states’ waste, residents get really hot,” continued Towery.

Families for a Clean Tennessee, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and protecting Tennessee has mailed a copy of Towery’s poll along with a pledge card to every elected legislator in Tennessee. The group hopes that after legislators review the independent poll, they will pledge to support SB 687 by signing and returning the pledge card.

“The InsiderAdvantage poll reveals that more than 80 percent of Tennessee voters are concerned about the BSFR process and I believe our elected officials have to pledge to support SB 687 or face potential opposition in 2010,” stated Harvey Fischer, Chairman of Families for a Clean Tennessee. [Access the Pledge Sent to Tennessee Legislators]

Specifically, the InsiderAdvantage poll uncovered:

82.6 percent of likely voters oppose dumping nuclear waste in ordinary commercial landfills in Tennessee, while nearly 90 percent believe nuclear waste should be disposed of in long-term isolation facilities.
More than 75 percent of likely voters-both Democrats and Republicans– are more likely to support a candidate for Governor that is opposed to nuclear dumping and the BSFR program.
Nearly 60 percent are more likely to support a legislative candidate that is opposed to nuclear dumping and the BSFR program.
More than 50 percent have stated they would actively work for the election of any candidate from either party that opposes the dumping of nuclear waste in Tennessee landfills.
More than 50 percent support Senate Bill 687, and more than 60 percent are more likely to vote for candidates that support Senate Bill 687.
63.5 percent believe that under no circumstance should nuclear waste be dumped in Tennessee.

Families for a Clean Tennessee will provide a list of legislators that have pledged to support
SB 687 on their Web site http://www.cleantennessee.org as pledge cards are returned.

###

Families for a Clean Tennessee is a non-partisan, non-profit citizens’ organization dedicated to preserving and protecting Tennessee for families and for future generations. Our mission is to advocate for the environmental prosperity of Tennessee through education and public outreach. At Families for a Clean Tennessee, we equip citizens with the tools they need to increase their influence and to have a strong voice in the development of public policy, both individually
and collectively.

To learn more about FCT, please visit http://www.CleanTennessee.org

Posted in Energy, Environment, Legislation | No Comments »

U.S. House Boosts Cash-4-Clunkers Program

Saturday, August 1st, 2009

bartgordonWASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. House passed legislation to extend the recently created “Cash-for-Clunkers” program, which has succeeded in encouraging Americans to purchase new fuel-efficient cars and trucks. The program allows consumers to trade in their old, gas-guzzling cars for vouchers, worth up to $4,500, to help pay for new vehicles that get more miles per gallon (MPG).

“Since we created this program, participating auto dealers throughout Middle Tennessee have reported increased sales,” said Congressman Bart Gordon. “This is not only important for our economy as it recovers, but it also strengthens our national security – as consumers purchase more fuel-efficient cars, we reduce our dependence on foreign oil.”

The Cash-for-Clunkers program is expected to reduce U.S. oil consumption by more than 250 million gallons of gas. Nationwide, more than 200,000 cars have been purchased through the program since July 1, 2009.

“This is a good bill, especially because it provides additional funds without increasing the federal deficit,” said Gordon, who is a strong advocate for ensuring that new federal spending is completely offset. “For every new dollar we spend, we’ve got to find a U.S. dollar to pay for it, and this bill does just that.”

The bill provides the Cash-for-Clunkers program with $2 billion in additional funding, which was diverted from an existing energy loan program in the U.S. Department of Energy. The legislation also extends the program through September 2010. The Senate is expected to pass the House bill before August 7.

To qualify for a voucher, consumers must trade in an older vehicle that gets 18 MPG or less, and purchase or lease a new car or truck that gets at least 22 MPG. If the fuel economy of the new car is at least four MPG higher than the old vehicle, the voucher will be worth $3,500. If the fuel economy of the new car is at least ten MPG higher than the old vehicle, the voucher will be worth $4,500.

For more information about the Cash-for-Clunkers program or to locate a participating dealer in Middle Tennessee, contact the program’s toll-free hotline at (866)-CAR-7891, or visit www.cars.gov.

Posted in Economy, Energy, Legislation, Rep. Bart Gordon (D-6) | No Comments »

Nissan Smyrna to get $1.6 billion in federal loans

Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009

nissanlogoPresident Barack Obama announced today the first set of auto loans for improvements in car technology. Nissan’s Smyrna plant will receive $1.6 billion in loans from the Department of Energy program.

$1.6 billion to Nissan North America to retool their Smyrna, Tennessee factory to build advanced electric automobiles and to build an advanced battery manufacturing facility.

The federal funds could produce 1,000 new jobs in Rutherford County and protect the jobs and the area families who depend on them.

A $1.6 billion federal loan for Nissan North America Inc. to build a zero-emissions electric car and battery packs to power them could eventually create more than 1,000 new jobs at the automaker’s assembly complex in Tennessee.

Gov. Phil Bredesen issued the following statement:

“The loans announced today will have a tremendous, positive impact on Nissan and our state’s automotive industry. Best of all, this means 1,300 more jobs for Tennessee workers and expands our growing clean energy economy. I’m especially pleased these advanced vehicle technology loans will expand the existing Nissan plant in Smyrna and add a new state-of-the-art battery plant. It also complements the state’s efforts to develop electric vehicle infrastructure for the type of zero emission vehicles that will be built in Smyrna.”

Posted in 2010, Business, Economy, Energy, Gov. Phil Bredesen, Jobs, Taxes | 1 Comment »

Our Chairman’s 2009 TN Legislature Wrapup…

Monday, June 22nd, 2009

Hello fellow Democrats. I’m pleased to inform you that this year’s session of the Tennessee Legislature has finally come to an end. It was a long and arduous one for our own Curt Cobb and Kent Coleman, who had to wade through 142 gun bills and several booze bills sponsored by our republican Senator Bill Ketron and Rep. Joe Carr . At last, republicans proposed a budget that killed recruitment dollars for a private solar power plant that would bring 30,000 jobs to Tennessee , put Pre-K education on the chopping block , gutted the Ethics Commission , repealed the Tennessee Voter Confidence Act , stripped funding for MTSU’s Education Building , halted badly needed road and bridge projects, and even refused to erect statues for Tennessee’s Nobel Peace Prize recipients! Senate Minority Leader Jim Kyle (D - Memphis) likened it to cuttin’ and runnin’ and Governor Bredesen called it “stupid” . Our republican Senators Jim Tracy and Bill Ketron quickly voted for this “stupid” budget, and refused to help MTSU and its Education Building project. Luckily, Democrats in the House were able to fix most of this disastrous budget and forced Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey (R-Bristol) to surrender . We won this round.

But, we weren’t able to save the Ethics Commission, even though Rep. Kent Coleman tried his best to stand up for ethics in government. We also have to live with guns in bars, and paper-verified voting was postponed for another year even though we’re sitting on $34 million to implement it! Bottom line - we need more Democrats in the Tennessee Legislature. This website offers ways to get involved, contribute to the effort, stay updated on the issues, and stay connected. Your continued help and involvement is appreciated.

Sincerely,
Jonathon Fagan
Chairman, Rutherford County Democratic Party
(615) 604-4211
han.d.man.2@gmail.com
www.rutherfordcountydemocrats.org

Posted in Budget, Education, Elections, Energy, Ethics, From the Chair, Gov. Phil Bredesen, Guns, Jobs, Legislation, Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey, MTSU, Rep. Curt Cobb (D-62), Rep. Kent Coleman (D-49), Republican leaders, Sen. Bill Ketron (R-13), Sen. Jim Tracy (R-16) | No Comments »

Sen. Jim Tracy (R-16) talks about raising the gas tax

Wednesday, April 29th, 2009

Sen. TracyRepublican Sen. Jim Tracy is working on a bill that will increase the gas tax in Tennessee.

Sen. Tracy chairs the Senate Transportation Committee which worked with the House Rural Roads Subcommittee to amend a specialty license plate bill with the gas tax increase.

Here’s what Sen. Tracy told the Daily News Journal today.

“We’re working on it. It’s not finalized,” he said. “We have some other things to look at.”

When asked if he supports the concept of indexing, Tracy said costs of building roads, which are financed by fuel taxes, have increased 40 percent recently while revenue remains flat.

“We know we have to do something,” he said.

Even Sen. Tracy realizes that someone has to pay for the roads we need.

Posted in Economy, Energy, Environment, Sen. Jim Tracy (R-16), Tax and Spend Republicans, Taxes | 3 Comments »

Rep. Joe Carr (R-48) favors more profits for Big Coal, opposes funding for schools,roads

Tuesday, April 21st, 2009

Rep. Joe Carr (R-48) voted against taxing the strip mining coal industry to help fund needed school and road construction yesterday. Rep. Carr voted against HB 1667 that would direct increased coal taxes to counties so they can complete needed infrastructure projects without raising our property taxes.

A majority of Rep. Carr’s fellow House Republicans and every single Republican in the Senate voted for the tax increase on coal produced in Tennessee’s coal rich Upper Cumberland. It is the first coal tax increase in Tennessee in 25 years.

Rep. Carr’s vote against taxing the coal industry puts him at odds with protecting our state’s energy riches and finding alternatives for increasing our property taxes.

Republicans joined Democrats in overwhelming support for the bill to help Tennessee counties fund the construction of roads and schools. The coal tax increase models successful tax policies that Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has in place to ensure the state of Alaska benefits from its energy riches.

Gov. Palin and Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) promoted Alaska’s energy tax policies as a model for the nation in the 2008 Presidential Campaign, but Rep. Carr says he believes the coal industry should take as much coal and profit out of our great state. Rep. Carr stood with only 19 legislators to vote against the bill.

Rep. Donna Rowland (R-34) was on Capital Hill yesterday but was too busy with her attorney dealing with an ethics complaint to vote either way on this important issue. Rep. Rowland instead voted “present.”

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Posted in Energy, Legislation, Rep. Donna Rowland (R-34), Rep. Joe Carr (R-48), Taxes | No Comments »

Leading on energy efficiency and clean energy technologies

Wednesday, April 1st, 2009

Gov. Phil Bredesen and Democratic state lawmakers unveiled new legislation designed to make Tennessee a national leader in energy efficiency and clean energy technology.

The Tennessee Clean Energy Future Act of 2009 — sponsored by Senators Jim Kyle, Randy McNally, Andy Berke and Ken Yager, and Representatives Les Winningham, Joe McCord, Jim Hackworth and Phillip Johnson — is a wide-ranging bill tackling several major recommendations by the Governor’s energy task force, created in March 2008. Last summer and fall, Bredesen traveled the state with the 16-member panel to craft a comprehensive new energy policy for Tennessee. The group’s extensive work can be viewed at www.tn.gov/energy.

“Today’s bill is the result of countless hours of public meetings involving dozens of experts and hundreds of stakeholders from across Tennessee,” Bredesen said. “It promotes energy savings for state government and consumers across Tennessee, it encourages the development of clean energy technology jobs, and it happens to be the right thing to do for energy and the environment.”

He added: “It’s a bold, bipartisan step toward ensuring the Volunteer State’s clean energy future.”

Key components of the legislation — set to be filed this week as an amendment rewriting Senate Bill 2300 and House Bill 2318 — include:

• Requiring state government to “lead by example” with improved energy management of its buildings and passenger motor vehicle fleet;

• Encouraging job creation in the clean energy technology sector by making qualified businesses eligible for Tennessee’s existing emerging industry tax credit; and

• Promoting energy efficiency in newly constructed homes with a limited statewide residential building code and expanding eligibility for federal funds used to “weatherize” existing homes in low-income areas.

Posted in Energy, Environment, Gov. Phil Bredesen, Legislation | No Comments »