Striking a commonsense balance

The way we generate, transmit and use energy underscores everything we do on a daily basis. Stable and reliable energy allows our society to grow and prosper while supporting the innovation that keeps prices affordable and our environment clean. Our energy future could be even brighter as new technologies emerge, whether through new ways to store electricity or safer and more efficient ways to produce and harness our domestic resources. But as our rules and regulations are updated, protecting the environment must not stifle innovation and growth. There must be a commonsense balance.

We’ve made some progress on a path toward modernizing and protecting our energy infrastructure, promoting innovation and energy efficiency while strengthening U.S. energy security and jobs. But more work needs to be done. Last fall, the House passed a comprehensive energy bill, H.R. 8, the North American Energy Security and Infrastructure Act, to maximize America’s energy potential and modernize our 1970s-era energy policies. I look forward to conferencing with our counterparts in the Senate as we work to advance H.R. 8 in law and keep prices affordable for all Americans.

{mosads}One of the areas H.R. 8 addressed is hydropower, which along with nuclear energy accounts for 25 percent of U.S. electricity and produces zero greenhouse gas emissions. H.R. 8 brings needed reforms to the hydropower licensing process, yet the administration seems to ignore this clean power source as an integral part of an all-of-the-above energy portfolio. Congress has rejected the administration’s limited view of hydropower’s role and recently passed seven committee bills that extend the operating licenses at various dams throughout the country. Meaningful legislation like this truly makes a difference at the local level, bringing jobs and affordable, reliable electricity to folks across the country. Hydropower must remain a part of any future energy mix. 

Safe, clean nuclear power also remains a vital component in a realistic all-of-the-above energy portfolio. Unfortunately, the Obama administration has disregarded the Nuclear Waste Policy Act, leaving American taxpayers on the hook for billions of dollars in legal liability. In the coming months, the committee will continue its work on developing a comprehensive solution to dispose of spent nuclear fuel, which begins first and foremost with the Energy Department fulfilling its obligation to complete its work on the Yucca Mountain Repository License Application. The committee will also ensure that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission remains a reliable and efficient safety regulator for our nuclear power plant fleet. 

As our power generation portfolio continues to change, the committee will look to make certain that electricity markets are functioning to promote competition, support new technologies and most importantly to maximize value to consumers, all while making security, through enhanced resiliency and continued reliability, a major consideration. We will continue to work to develop and implement grid protections to mitigate risks and vulnerabilities throughout the sector while overseeing that there is regulatory balance. Quite simply, the Environmental Protection Agency should not be setting the nation’s energy policy and should not be the final arbiter regarding change in electricity markets. As the courts continue to litigate the president’s regulatory agenda, we will maintain our stringent oversight of the EPA. 

When it comes to confronting climate change and the future of energy, I believe we must take an economically realistic and pragmatic approach. We need to ensure our domestic policies and regulations are promoting access to continued affordable, reliable power while allowing our communities to grow economically, adapt to changes and be resilient. I remain committed to supporting technological innovation and the development of new and efficient energy infrastructure both to reduce emissions and to withstand climate related events, regardless of causes.

The bottom line is that we all care about clean air and access to clean and safe drinking water, but the administration’s regulatory policies fail to take into account the very real-world consequences EPA rules and regulations are having on communities across the country.

Much work remains to be done, but these are some of the important pillars necessary to support an all-of-the-above energy policy. Only through innovation, not regulation, can we develop a modern and diverse energy portfolio, maintain affordable and reliable electricity, create jobs, modernize our energy laws and enact meaningful solutions to 21st century threats. With our eyes toward the future, we will continue to build upon our bipartisan record of success and enact meaningful legislation. 

Upton has served the state of Michigan in the House of Representatives since 1987 and is chairman of the House Energy Committee.