FROM: State Rep. Don Walko, D-North Side

TO: Editor

DATE: July 25, 2008

MEDIA CONTACT: Ben Turner, 717-787-7895, bturner@pahouse.net

State Representative Don Walko Reports:

New laws make Pa. a leader on energy independence

The last time I wrote a column about energy independence, I said the high price of oil – then passing $100 a barrel – was a major reason we needed to break our addiction to foreign oil. Since then, the price of oil has risen more than 30 percent in just four months.

Fortunately, I have good news: Pennsylvania isn't waiting on the Bush-Cheney administration to act. In July, pressure from the Democratic-majority state House paid off and the legislature passed major energy-independence initiatives that Gov. Rendell signed into law.

Every year, Pennsylvania residents and businesses send $30 billion out of state just to buy gas and other liquid fuels. That's about $2,400 per person. Now we will be keeping more of that money here, creating jobs and reining in energy prices.

Already, the state's current energy investment programs have created more than 2,500 jobs. But funding has been limited and the state was only able to support 10 percent of requests, losing out on at least $100 million in potential investments every year.

The new state budget package invests $650 million in a mix of commercial and consumer efforts designed to help large companies, small businesses and homeowners take advantage of alternative energy technology. Also, the measure includes funding for the nation’s first standards for harnessing cellulosic ethanol and biodiesel as motor fuels, with the potential to derive much of the fuel from non-food sources such as switchgrass, agricultural wastes, waste grease and algae. And the high price of oil wasn't the only reason to act – electric rate caps are set to end in less than three years.

Projects under the new fund will range from investments in cutting-edge research to energy-saving weatherization efforts and tax credits for alternative energy products and programs, including help for homeowners and small businesses to install solar panels. The Department of Environmental Protection has said applications should be available in the next two to three months. If you would like to be among the first to know when the forms are available, just call my office or sign up at my Web site – www.pahouse.com/Walko. I generally limit these alerts to two or three per month at most.

Instead of a "gold rush," there is a "green rush" in alternative energy because of high prices, and Pennsylvania is now in a great position to capitalize on it.

If you have questions on a state-related issue or subject, please call my office at 412-321-5523.