Mr. PLATTS. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the gentleman yielding, and I certainly appreciate his leadership on this very important issue. I do appreciate the ranking member's issues he has raised and that perhaps this amendment doesn't go far enough in what it includes in the type of renewable energy that is acknowledged.
I would say that this is a starting point. If we support this amendment, if we get into conference, then we can build on this to look at other options. But we have to start somewhere. I think this is a good starting point.
So I rise in support of this amendment which would establish a National Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard of 15 percent by 2020. A 15 percent RPS is an important step that we can take to meet our growing energy needs in an environmentally friendly manner and decrease our dependence on foreign oil and create more jobs.
A study by Woods McKenzie found that a 15 percent RPS would decrease the price of natural gas by 15 to 20 percent, decrease wholesale electricity prices by 7 to 11 percent, for a savings of $240 billion to consumers and would avoid almost 3 billion tons of carbon dioxide by the year 2030.
In addition, a Federal RPS would create hundreds of thousands of new jobs. In fact, the top five States that have been hit hardest with the loss in their manufacturing economy over the past 6 years, California, Ohio, Texas, North Carolina, and my home State of Pennsylvania, would benefit most from the creation of new agricultural and manufacturing jobs because of the passage of this amendment. My home State of Pennsylvania has established an RPS of 18 percent by 2020.
Since its inception in 2004, the Renewable Energy Standard is associated with the creation of several thousand new jobs. Projections show that a national RPS would create an additional 7,000 jobs in my State alone. Momentum has been steadily growing for a national RPS. Currently, almost half of all States have implemented such an RPS standard.
Mr. Chairman, I believe a national RPS is an important step to make to reduce pollution and lessen addiction to foreign energy sources. I urge a yes vote, and I thank the gentleman for yielding.
