Jeff Bingaman: “The Senator is correct in that a renewable portfolio standard that is not as effective as the one we are proposing would…”

“The Senator is correct in that a renewable portfolio standard that is not as effective as the one we are proposing would not meet the Federal standard and would not be adequate. The Federal standard would still prevail. I point out what the amendment of the Senator says: The provisions of this section-- That would be this renewable portfolio standard we had the vote on earlier with the Kyl amendment---- shall not apply to any retail electric supplier in any State that adopts or has adopted a renewable portfolio energy program. He then cites a variety of States that are on the chart that have adopted these renewable energy portfolio programs. He has included New Mexico on the chart. We have no renewable energy portfolio program in our State. We adopted one and suspended it for 6 years, but it is on the chart as a State qualifying to be exempt from the Federal program. He has included Illinois. I have a description that says on June 22, 2001, Illinois Governor George Ryan signed legislation creating the Illinois Resource Development and Energy Security Act. The legislation states, as an explicit goal, at least 5 percent of the State's energy production and use derive from renewable forms of energy by 2015 and 15 percent from renewable sources of energy by 2020. However, it does not include an implementation schedule. There is nothing in the Illinois-passed law that will actually get them to the stated goal.”