Cantwell Seeks Congressional Executive Commission to Coordinate Energy and Environmental Policies Related to India and China

China and India Could be Huge Clean Energy Export Markets for U.S. Businesses

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) introduced legislation to create a Congressional Executive Commission to ensure that the administration and Congress closely coordinate and maintain a focus on energy and environmental policies related to India and China. The intent of the legislation is to promote dialogue, coordination, and cooperation on energy and environmental issues between the three countries.

“India and China are among the world’s top energy consumers and greenhouse gas emitters, making them huge potential markets for U.S. clean energy exports and environmental-related goods and services,” said Cantwell. “By promoting a cooperative relationship between our countries, we can not only maximize the development of clean energy technologies that will benefit our countries, we can also significantly reduce global warming pollution and help end the over use of fossil fuels.”

The bill uses as its basis the policy areas that were agreed upon under the U.S.-China Ten Year Energy and Environment Cooperation Framework. These include: the development and promotion of clean, efficient, and secure electricity production and transmission; the development and promotion of clean water, water quality management, and safe drinking water; the development and promotion of clean air and air quality management; the development and promotion of clean and efficient transportation; and, the conservation and management of forests and wetlands, and the ecosystems of forests and wetlands. The fifth Strategic Economic Dialogue meeting between the U.S. and China ended today with a commitment to extend bilateral energy and environmental partnerships and spend $20 billion to support increased trade flows.

Beginning no later than September 15, 2009, the Commission will submit annual reports to the president and Congress containing an analysis of: China’s and India’s efforts to implement green programs; common energy and environmental issues; China’s and India’s funding for clean technology research, development, and investment; issues regarding technology sharing, including intellectual property issues; export and import data for clean technology, products, and services; and, trade in these commodities with other countries.

The Commission will make recommendations to the president and Congress on how to maximize the development and deployment of clean energy and environmental technologies, products, and services in China, India, and the United States, as well as ensure that trade of clean energy and environmental-related goods and services will benefit the interests of the United States.

Commission membership will consist of 17 members: five members from each chamber of Congress; one representative each from the Departments of Commerce, State, Department, the Environmental Protection Agency; and three at-large representatives appointed by the president from the executive branch. The bill would authorizes $5 million annually to fund Commission operations.