Congressman says energy bill will bring jobs to state

(Via Washington Energy Services)

A Washington state congressman is backing a sweeping energy bill that recently passed the House as a way to help create more jobs and boost the economy.

According to Representative Rick Larsen, the work that he and others have done in the bill will help everyone from workers at local refineries to hydropower producers to renewable energy companies.
"For me, this issue boils down to three words: Washington state jobs," said Larsen.

The Congressman said that the bill will help protect refinery jobs as well as those at an Alcoa smelter in his district while also doing more in favor of hydropower and woody biomass production, both local renewable energy industries.

He also noted that the state's renewable energy standard would not be trumped by a new federal standard if the bill does become law.

The sweeping legislation passed the House by a narrow margin last week and faces a potentially tougher time in the Senate.

A New York Times report noted that Democrats currently lack the 60 votes needed to override a possible filibuster there, with 45 "yes" votes and 23 "fence sitters" currently though to be available in the Senate.

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