On January 18, the US House of Representatives passed HR 6, the Clean
Energy Act of 2007, which would roll back oil and gas industry tax
breaks and adjust royalties on federal oil and gas leases. The $13
billion in savings would be invested in a Strategic Energy Efficiency
and Renewables Reserve, to be used to promote energy conservation and
renewable energy and take important steps towards addressing global
warming.

Although the bill does not specifically allocate those funds, some of
the money could end up addressing America's energy conservation and
renewable energy needs through the 2007 Farm Bill.

The US Department of Agriculture has several energy conservation and
renewable energy programs, and the National Wildlife Federation has
proposed that Congress include a Biofuels Innovation Program in the
2007 Farm Bill. That program would provide incentives for the
development of biofuels production through projects that require
sustainable, wildlife-friendly systems using multi-species plantings
of grass or trees on existing cropland.

The vote on HR 6 was 264-163, and you can learn more about the
legislation, or see how your House Member voted at
http://www.nwf.org/congressandglobalwarming/cleanenergyact.cfm. The
legislation now moves to the US Senate.

Duane Hovorka
Farm Bill Outreach Coordinator
National Wildlife Federation