Rep. Maloney Supports Clean Energy

Last week New York Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (D-14), who scored 100% on LCV’s 2007 environmental scorecard, voted for a bill that would cut billions of dollars in tax breaks for oil companies and invest them in clean renewable energy. At the same time she commented that while most New Yorkers were burdened by record high oil prices (in the last year a gallon of gasoline at pumps in NYC has risen from $2.55 to $3.31), the five largest oil companies reported record profits for 2007.

The Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act of 2008 passed by a 236-182 vote. It includes solar energy tax credits that could reduce carbon dioxide pollution by 240 million tons. Rep. Maloney said that the Geothermal Energy Association estimates that just geothermal provisions could “create tens of thousands of new jobs and stimulate tens of billions of new investments in geothermal energy production.” It would also bring new jobs in the wind, solar, and fuel cell technology sectors.