Douglas Alexander: “I applaud the remarks of the Senator from Kansas and his focus on the clean energy aspects of the Domenici- Bingaman…”

“I applaud the remarks of the Senator from Kansas and his focus on the clean energy aspects of the Domenici- Bingaman bill, which is making significant progress in producing low- carbon and carbon-free energy, transforming the way we produce electricity. I also appreciate his cosponsorship of the environmentally responsible wind power amendment. Kansas, of course, has a lot of wind. There may be many places where people want it to be, but there are some places in the United States where we do not need to put gigantic towers between us and our children and our grandchildren; for example, the Statue of Liberty, and the Great Smoky Mountain Park, and Yosemite Park. This legislation is a very limited amendment that would deny Federal subsidies for that area, give communities 6 months' notice before they are to be built there but otherwise would not interfere with private property rights, prohibit the building of any wind project, affect any project now underway, and would not give the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission any new power. I hope it is the kind of amendment all Senators can easily support. Whether they are strong supporters of wind power or have reservations about wind power, at least we do not want to see gigantic towers in the buffer zones between our national treasures, the highly scenic areas, and ourselves and our children and grandchildren. I thank the Senator from Kansas for his support. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Oklahoma.”