Apr 22, 2007- Congresswoman Kaptur Celebrates Earthday With Call For Alternative Energy Development

"Our nation has made great strides since the first Earth Day in 1970,"said Congresswoman Kaptur. "From the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act tocreation of the Environmental Protection Agency, our response to pollution hasbecome more robust. We have begun the cleanup of Lake Erie and the Great Lakes, which has spurred greater tourism and moreeconomic opportunities.

"Now we have to address the unquenchable thirst for energy. It is time for aconcerted effort to make the transition to cleaner energy alternatives and aturn away from the technologies of yesterday."

Congresswoman Kaptur recently supported the CLEAN Energy Act of 2007, whichwould create a multibillion dollar trust fund to promote domestic renewableenergy by ending tax loopholes for big oil companies. She also supportedefforts to create a Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming,a House task force to begin solving these problems.

"These legislative victories should be the starting place for the great taskthat lies ahead. Together, we must reinvent our economy and invest in thetechnologies that make us energy independent and sustainable for thefuture.

"With the construction of more ethanol facilities in our area, the world classdevelopment of photovoltaic research at the University of Toledo and the newpossibilities of research at NASA Plumbrook, we are steadily marshaling theresources to meet these challenges.

"It is not enough simply to voice our concerns. We must take action. Every daythat we let slip by us without advocating for and pursuing a national agendaconsisting of clean, renewable energy is a day that we ignore the open door fora cleaner and more secure future for our children."