Chamber's Institute Issues Recommendations

Gen. James L. Jones, USMC (Ret.), unveils a comprehensive plan for securing America's energy future.

The U.S. Chamber's Institute for 21st Century Energy on September 30, 2008, released a list of 75 specific energy policy recommendations for the next president and Congress, including such novel ideas as creating a Clean Energy Bank. 

"With a challenge this great and urgent, we must encourage new partnerships that bring together the best of government, industry, and academia to create cutting-edge technology solutions," said Energy Institute President Gen. Jim Jones, USMC (Ret.), at the unveiling of the Blueprint for Securing America's Energy Future in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Key recommendations include:

• Permanently end the moratorium on the exploration and production of oil and natural gas on and off shore.
• Expand nuclear power and provide a durable waste strategy once and for all.
• Extend the $15 billion in alternative and renewable energy tax credits for eight years, gradually phasing them out in the following four years.
• Provide $10 billion in federal money over 10 years for clean coal technology development.
• Double the current federal energy R&D spending, in real terms, from $4 billion to $8 billion and establish a long-term R&D tax credit.
• Create a Clean Energy Bank to accelerate capital formation for investment in new or advanced energy technologies.
• Streamline the regulatory and licensing processes for construction of new nuclear facilities.
   

The Institute's blueprint builds upon its 13 fundamental energy policy pillars outlined in a July 2008 open letter to the next president and Congress. Sign the letter and download a copy of the blueprint.