{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://cartwright.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cartwright-statement-federal-government-to-increase-use-of-renewable", "Cartwright Statement: Federal Government to Increase Use of Renewable Energy to 20% by 2020", "2013-12-05", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Matt Cartwright", "C001090", "cartwright.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington \u2013\u00a0Today, President Obama announced that the federal government will begin to increase its use of renewable energy to 20% by 2020.\u00a0 Below is Congressman Matt Cartwright\u2019s statement on the announcement:\n\u201cSaying the government should lead by example, President Obama announced today that he is ordering the federal government to increase its use of renewable energy to 20 percent by 2020, nearly triple the 7.5 percent currently used. The increase is part of a broader, wide-ranging, second term drive to combat climate change and prepare for its effects by limiting pollution.\n\u201cThe President\u2019s new order applies to all federal agencies, civilian and military.\u00a0 Federal agencies have reduced their greenhouse gas emissions by more than 15 percent since he took office in 2009, President Obama said, but the government can do even better.\n\u201cUnder the new order, federal agencies face several milestones along the way to achieving the goal of 20 percent renewable energy use by 2020:\n 2015: At least 10 percent\n\t2016, 2017: At least 15 percent\n\t2018, 2019: At least 17.5 percent\n \u201cThe order also requires agencies to install energy meters and water maters where appropriate to monitor efficiency and to publicly disclose energy performance data through the Energy Department.\n\u201cI strongly support President Obama for instituting these much needed renewable energy policies.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Warnings from the scientific community are becoming louder, as an increasing body of science points to rising dangers from the ongoing buildup of human-related greenhouse gases \u2014 produced mainly by the burning of fossil fuels and forests.\u00a0 These carbon emissions and the impacts of a changing climate are far-reaching; a threat not only to our natural ecosystems but to national security and public health as well.\u00a0 In 2012 alone, the cost of weather disasters exceeded $110 billion in the United States, and climate change will only increase the frequency and intensity of these events.\u00a0 These threats demand immediate attention and protecting our environment must be a high budgetary, legislative, and regulatory priority.\u00a0 Continuing to invest in and use sustainable clean energy is essential in addressing these issues.\n\u201cI encourage Pennsylvania to follow in the footsteps of the President\u2019s new order and increase the amount of renewable energy powering Pennsylvania homes and businesses by boosting the state\u2019s Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard.\u00a0 Currently, these standards require all load-serving energy companies in the state to supply only 8 percent of the Pennsylvania\u2019s electricity using renewable energy sources by 2020, far below neighboring state requirements of 20 to 30 percent as well as the 20 percent goal for federal agencies outlined by the President today.\u00a0 On November 12, State Senator Leach introduced legislation to amend Pennsylvania\u2019s standards to a goal of 15 percent renewable energy usage by 2020.\u00a0\u00a0 I agree with Senator Leach\u2019s statement that \u201cby amending these standards, we will not only reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, we\u2019ll also make Pennsylvania competitive with neighboring states, create thousands of jobs, stimulate the economy with investment capital, protect our environment and preserve public health,\u201d and I urge the Pennsylvania legislature to pass this legislation.\n\u201cWe have a moral obligation to leave our children a planet that\u2019s not polluted or damaged, and by taking an all-of-the-above approach to develop homegrown, renewable energy and steady, responsible steps to cut carbon pollution, we can protect our kids\u2019 health and begin to slow the effects of climate change so we leave a cleaner, more stable environment for future generations.\u00a0 I believe President Obama\u2019s new order is the best approach to meeting this obligation by striving for realistic, attainable and aggressive goals in reducing our use of fossil fuel sources and increasing the use of alternative green energy sources, and I hope that Pennsylvania will implement a similar strategy.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["http://cartwright.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cartwright-statement-federal-government-to-increase-use-of-renewable"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.7999539375305176, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}