McHugh Offers Extensive Energy Package

Late last week Congressman McHugh announced an extensive energy package that he was proposing. Below is the full press release distributed by his office.


Congressman Announces New Legislation, Energy Package to Help New Yorkers

Washington, D.C. - Congressman John M. McHugh (R- Pierrepont Manor) unveiled today his energy legislative package, which addresses the rapidly rising energy prices that are so negatively impacting residents across Northern and Central New York. Congressman McHugh’s energy package includes a bill he introduced this week, the Home Energy Affordability Tax Relief (HEATR) Act of 2008, which would allow Americans to take a new tax deduction to help offset the high cost of home heating bills. The legislative package also included seven additional pieces of legislation that will increase the production of American-sourced energy while providing relief at the gas pump and in home fuel costs for consumers across the country.

Congressman McHugh released the following statement about his energy plan:

“Individuals and families across Northern and Central New York struggle to meet their home heating costs every winter. We need to take action now to help prevent an emergency situation this winter in light of the skyrocketing oil costs. The HEATR Act would provide a needed break for consumers by allowing individuals with high heating costs, particularly in our district, to receive up to a $500 tax credit to offset their high bills. This act would apply to both homeowners and renters, providing relief for consumers across the board. Being a lifelong resident of the region, I understand the gravity of the current situation and this tax credit is absolutely necessary.

"While this legislation would be extremely valuable to residents, we also need to address the key underlying issue in this crisis: the lack of American-sourced energy. I am fully supportive of renewable energy sources, particularly the research that is being done at our colleges and universities like Clarkson, Morrisville, and Oswego. But, we must recognize that our economy relies on traditional energy sources. We need to couple the focus on renewables with more oil, more nuclear, and more clean coal. This includes exploring deep sea energy resources and domestic locations such as the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR).

“Increasing domestic sources of energy will have a real effect on the prices we pay at the pump here in New York, and we cannot afford to wait. The answer cannot be more taxes on the American consumer; the answer has to be more energy. Geological studies show us that America currently has hundreds of billions of known and untapped energy reserves - the vast majority of which are located on currently off-limits federal lands. This includes 1.5 trillion barrels of known shale oil reserves alone. It’s time for America to put these resources to work for all of us.”

Congressman McHugh’s legislative package includes:

* H.R. 1569, the Gasoline Tax Relief Act: Congressman McHugh introduced this legislation last year in March 2007 that would temporarily suspend the federal gas tax when the price per gallon exceeds a certain level. This would provide an 18 cents tax break for consumers on every gallon of gas. This bill was similar to a proposal introduced by Congressman McHugh in April 2006 as well.
* H.R. 3089, No More Excuses Energy Act of 2007: Reduces the price of gasoline by opening new American oil refineries; invests in diverse energy sources such as wind, nuclear, and clean coal-to-liquid technology; and makes available more homegrown energy through environmentally sensitive exploration of the ANWR and America’s Deep-Sea Energy Reserves.
* H.R. 6108, Deep Ocean Energy Resources Act of 2008: Reduces the price of gasoline by enabling the United States to responsibly explore its own deep ocean to produce American energy. The bill would grant coastal states the authority to keep exploration 100 miles from their coastlines and it would also allow states to share in the revenues received. This includes exploring for oil in the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).
* H.R. 6107, American Energy Independence and Price Reduction Act: Reduces the price of gasoline by opening the ANWR to environmentally sensitive American energy exploration. The development footprint would be limited to 0.01% of the ANWR (2000 acres out of the 19 million acre refuge), and revenue received from the new leases would be invested in a long-term alternative energy trust fund.
* H.R. 5656, To Repeal the Ban on Acquiring Alternative Fuels: Reduces the price of gasoline by allowing the federal government to procure advanced alternative fuels derived from diverse sources like oil shale, tar sands and coal-to-liquid technology.
* H.R. 2208, Coal-to-Liquid Fuel Act: Reduces the price of gasoline by encouraging the use of clean coal-to-liquid technology by authorizing the Secretary of Energy to enter into loan agreements with coal-to-liquid projects that produce innovative transportation fuel.
* H.R. 2493, Fuel Mandate Reduction Act of 2007: Reduces the price of gasoline by removing boutique fuel blending requirements and onerous government mandates if they contribute to unaffordable gas prices.
* H.R. 6321, the HEATR Act of 2008: Congressman McHugh’s legislation would provide up to a $500 tax credit for individuals and families facing more than $1500 in home heating costs during the winter season, with a maximum of one credit per housing unit. For homeowners and renters with home heating expenses below $1500, the bill would provide one-third of the total cost of heating in a tax credit. Individual tax filers making under $50,000 would be eligible for the credit as well as joint filers making under $100,000. Above those income levels, the credit would phase out at $60,000 and $110,000 respectively. Additionally, the credit can only be used for fuel costs, which include propane, heating oil, kerosene, wood, and wood pellets.