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Reid pledges to fight for geothermal funds
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STEPHENS WASHINGTON BUREAU
Updated: Jun. 15, 2010 | 1:49 p.m.
WASHINGTON -- Sen. Harry Reid said Thursday the Senate will debate a sweeping climate change bill this spring, and he will use it as a vehicle to seek more federal research dollars and more generous tax credits for geothermal development.
But in comments at a geothermal industry conference in New York, the Senate majority leader from Nevada added the bill likely will need bipartisan support, and if it fails to get that, "we'll have to drop back."
Reid, who determines the Senate's schedule, said he planned to make climate change a priority, alongside health reform, Wall Street regulation and a jobs bill.
"We have a lot on our plate," he said in prepared remarks. "But we are not so busy that we can't find the time to address comprehensive energy and climate legislation."
Sens. John Kerry, D-Mass.; Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.; and Joseph Lieberman, the independent from Connecticut, are trying to write a bill to limit greenhouse gases that could draw broad support.
Reid is a major advocate for geothermal, a resource that is abundant below the surface of Nevada but has yet to be fully tapped. He told members of the Geothermal Energy Association that as the climate bill is formed he will support federal funding for the industry to speed progress on "all types of geothermal resources."
He said that includes opening up federal lands for geothermal drilling, and for improvements in transmitting electricity generated by the resource.
Reid also called for extending and expanding industry tax credits and beefing up loan guarantees offered by the Department of Energy.
"Nevada already has about 450 megawatts of conventional geothermal power in production," Reid said. "In the next three to five years -- with the right mix of incentives and policy -- my state alone could add 64 new projects that would bring that number up to nearly 2,500 megawatts."
Double that across the West, and "that's a lot of clean power," Reid said. "That's a lot of jobs."
Contact Stephens Washington Bureau Chief Steve Tetreault at stetreault@stephensmedia.com or 202-783-1760.
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Perhaps, but neither of them touts their influence in D.C. and indispensability to Nevada as the "most powerful man in the Senate".
I think if you were to look in Nancy Pelosi's purse, you just might find Reid's "power" laying useless at the bottom, shriveled up and drying out.
Harry can't fight for anything because he is too busy holding secret closed door meeting on healthcare. He is more interested in giving Nebraska a pass on paying taxes then he is in helping people in his State.
That state is Nevada, Harry. Not California, Nebraska or Louisiana. I know you have the best interests of those people in mind but you had better start paying attention to Nevada and DOING SOMETHING for this State.
why didn't harry osama "fight for funds" to get that elko and yucca facilities up and running ? you know, the facilities that'd employ thousands of nevadans and slow the cash outflow to opec.
how this jerk hates this country that it would continually force americans to send cash to opec. and to fund even more, vastly overpriced "alternative" energy schemes.
who's harry oasama gonna attack after he totally bankrupts the u.s. and its citizens ?
Harry Reid won't be around to cause any more false positives regarding energy policy. The jerk will be gone. We will defeat you Harry, that's a promise. The worst Senator this state has ever fielded will be history. We need to move forward with someone who recognizes their responsibility to this state and its interests. To those that lost jobs due to Harry Reid's blindly obstructionist mindset to the Yucca mountain Project--vote. Vote this man out.
Wish I had a dollar for everytime our career politicians said they would create "jobs".
Only 291 days to go till Harry "it's not my money I'll spend it any way i Want to" Reid gets his own special "Tom Dashle" beat down.
Couldn't happen to a more deserving political scumbag.
Results are in. Ready for this Las Vegas?
YOU GET NOTHING!!! Go Harry!