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December 01, 2009

Energy and Environment Subcommittee Vice Chair Paul Tonko's Floor Speech on HR 3598

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Demand for energy and water resources is stressing the environment and our economy. Innovation in technologies which address the nexus between these two resources is critical to the future of our country. H.R. 3598 requires the Secretary of Energy to consider water-related issues in the Department’s energy efficiency and energy technology research programs. 

Additionally, H.R. 3598 creates an “Energy-Water Architecture Council” (EWAC) that will facilitate the collaboration of industry, academia, and the federal government in improving energy and water resource data collection, reporting, and technological innovation. 
 
Chairman Gordon and Ranking Member Hall of the Science and Technology Committee have worked hard to improve this bill on the way to the floor. To ensure appropriate use of tax payer dollars the bill now includes direction to the Secretary of Energy to develop a Strategic Plan which will focus the Department’s efforts on the most energy and water intensive programs and projects with the most potential to achieve the purposes of the bill.
 
This legislation is the product of several recommendations from five Committee hearings on water and several reports from the National Academies, the Government Accountability Office, the National Science Technology Council, and the Department of Energy.
 
With letters of support from the Water Innovations Alliance, NanoH2O Inc., and the Alliance for Water Efficiency this legislation takes important steps to deal with our country’s water and energy resource challenges. 
 
I encourage all my colleagues to join me in this effort and support H.R. 3598.