Sen. Udall and Others Introduce Bill to Advance Renewable Energy

(Washington, D.C. – June 26, 2019) Today, Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), and Angus King (I-Maine) introduced the Renewable Electricity Standard Act of 2019 to help reduce climate pollution and protect Americans from the threat of climate change.

Starting in 2020, the bill would require that each electricity provider increase its supply of renewable energy by a percentage of total retail sales each year. Senator Udall claims the bill will result in at least fifty percent of electricity in the U.S. being provided by renewable sources by 2035.

Reducing climate pollution in the electricity sector is critical to achieving our national climate change goals. The US will also need dramatic reductions in climate pollution across other sectors of the economy, including from transportation and industry.

EDF applauds Senators Udall, Heinrich, Whitehouse, Smith, and King for their continuing efforts to reduce climate pollution in the electricity sector.  Renewable energy plays an important role – as does energy efficiency, other zero carbon sources of electricity, and technologies that reduce emissions from the current fleet of fossil fuel fired generators.

“EDF looks forward to working with Senators Udall, Heinrich, Whitehouse, Smith, and King, and all Members of Congress to advance climate policy,” said Elizabeth Gore, EDF Senior Vice President, Political Affairs. “We hope this bill and any other serious proposals will encourage members on both sides of the aisle to provide the kind of leadership on climate change that America needs.”