Clean Energy and Lower Bills
"America simply cannot afford an energy policy that leaves us dependent upon fossil fuels, beholden to hostile foreign governments, and responsible for degrading our environment. We must embrace a new energy future that invests in energy efficiency, promotes renewable energy and reduces carbon pollution."
Spotlight on Energy
Energy efficiency creates good manufacturing and installation jobs, cuts energy bills, and improves the environment. Rep. Welch is the leading proponent of energy efficiency in the House of Representatives. Building on Vermont’s national leadership in the field of energy efficiency, he has advanced legislation to cut energy bills for homeowners, farmers, businesses, schools, apartment buildings and government buildings. In 2015, President Obama signed into law bipartisan legislation authored by Rep. Welch to improve the efficiency of commercial buildings, water heaters, and federal buildings.
Rep. Welch has also been a forceful advocate for renewable energy resources. He is fighting for national standards for renewable energy and strongly supports incentives to develop clean energy resources and the good jobs that go with them.
More on Clean Energy and Lower Bills
BURLINGTON, Vt., Sept. 19 – Vermont’s congressional delegation announced Tuesday that the Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) will receive a $480,000 federal grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to purchase two electric buses that will be used by Green Mountain Transit in Burlington. In June, the Vermont delegation wrote to Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao in support of the grant.
Washington, DC – Yesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously approved bipartisan legislation introduced by Rep. Peter Welch to improve energy efficiency in schools in Vermont and across the country.
WASHINGTON – Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT) and Rep. Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) introduced legislation that creates a national renewable energy and energy efficiency standard that will reduce carbon emissions and drive the deployment of clean energy resources around the country.
Washington, DC – Senators Chris Coons (D-DE) and Cory Gardner (R-CO) and Congressmen Peter Welch (D-VT) and Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) today delivered bipartisan letters to President Donald Trump calling on the administration’s support and use of the Energy Savings Performance Contracts (ESPCs) and Utility Energy Service Contracts (UESCs). These public-private partnerships allow the federal government to modernize federal infrastructure and improve energy and water services through innovative financing.
Washington, DC – Senators Cory Gardner (R-CO), Chris Coons (D-DE), Rob Portman (R-OH), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Representatives Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) and Peter Welch (D-VT) introduced the Energy Savings Through Public-Private Partnerships Act of 2017, legislation that encourages the use of Energy Savings Performance Contracts (ESPCs) and Utility Energy Savings Contracts (UESCs) in federal buildings.
On a visit to GE Aviation’s local plant Thursday, Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., hailed the company as one that has accepted the realities of climate change and is pursuing measures to reduce energy use and carbon emissions.
Welch contrasted the company’s efforts in recent years with the ongoing debate in Washington over whether climate change is real.
“You don’t have to waste time debating whether the problem exists,” Welch said, adding that many large corporations have seen the tangible benefits of reducing their carbon footprint.
By Mike Polhamus
Vermont’s lone member of the U.S. House said Tuesday he intends to fight any efforts to expand a massive nationwide subsidy to corn farmers instituted during the George W. Bush administration.
The subsidy, which requires that gasoline contain a certain percentage of ethanol made from corn, hurts Vermont farmers by making corn for livestock scarce and therefore expensive, said Democratic Rep. Peter Welch at a press event in Burlington.
"Thank you, Mr. Chariman, for this hearing. The RFS mandate has been a well-intended flop. It has not helped the environment, it has hurt it. It has increased food costs in this country, and in foreign countries.