Lugar’s Rural Energy Initiative Lauded by Groups Sen. Dick Lugar (R-IN) has led a successful effort to include key rural energy authorizations and funding in the farm bill passed out of the Senate Agriculture Committee last week.
BigNews.Biz - May 06,2012 - Lugar’s Rural Energy Initiative Lauded by Groups
Sen. Dick Lugar (R-IN) has led a successful effort to include key rural energy authorizations and funding in the farm bill passed out of the Senate Agriculture Committee last week. Lugar’s amendment, which he offered in partnership with Senator Kent Conrad (D-ND), gained broad bipartisan support. The amendment was fully paid for by cutting spending elsewhere in the bill.
“Rural energy development and conservation mean more jobs and more income for Hoosiers and more energy security for all Americans,” Lugar said.
Here is what people are saying:
Bill Richards, co-chair of the National 25x'25 Steering Committee: “We are very grateful for Sen. Lugar's efforts on behalf of energy programs that benefit farmers across the nation. The Senator's foresight and legislative initiatives have served to boost the economy and help create and retain jobs in our state's rural communities.”
Kateri Callahan, a Hoosier and President of the Alliance to Save Energy: “The Conrad-Lugar Amendment will allow many rural Americans to tap into the power of energy efficiency to help grow food, build a business, or raise a family. With more financial support for energy efficiency, rural America will be stronger, and so will our nation as a whole.”
Tom Buis, a Hoosier and CEO of Growth Energy: “Everyone knows our nation needs to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and this amendment will help do just that. Ethanol currently supports over a half million jobs, displaces 14 billion gallons of gasoline from foreign oil, and reduces harmful emissions.. I specifically want to thank Senators Conrad and Lugar for offering a solid, bipartisan amendment that will provide key resources to rural energy programs…”
Indiana Statewide Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives: “RESPA will create jobs and lower energy bills for Hoosier families, farms, and small businesses by promoting energy-saving home renovations in rural communities. The program will assist rural co-op utilities in offering low-interest loans to their member-consumers, allowing families to repay the loan through savings on their monthly energy bill.” (Letter written in support of the Rural Energy Savings Program (RESPA), included by Lugar in the Conrad-Lugar Amendment.)
Roger Johnson, President of the National Farmer’s Union: “On behalf of the members of the National Farmers Union (NFU), I write in strong support for your Amendment…In recent years, the rural economy has been one of the few bright spots in an otherwise lackluster American economic environment. Much of this success has come from renewable energy development.”
Adam Monroe, President of Novozymes North America: “America’s renewable industry is putting steel in the ground, Americans to work and strengthening our rural economy. We thank…Senators Conrad and Lugar for co-sponsoring. We urge the full Senate to follow their lead and stand ready to help make it happen.”
National Rural Electric Cooperative Association and the statewide rural electric cooperative associations of Indiana, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, and several states represented by the Northeast Association: “Improving energy efficiency is
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