SENATORS PUSH WIND

U.S. senators want $400 million spent on wind energy
Tom Doggett (w/ Marguerita Choy), March 13, 2009 (Reuters)

"Senators from two Northeast states, [Maine Senators Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins and Delaware Senators Tom Carper and Ted Kaufman], urged U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu to commit $400 million from the economic stimulus package to support an advanced wind energy program, especially for offshore wind projects.

"The lawmakers want money budgeted for the department's energy efficiency and renewable energy activities set aside for developing domestic wind energy technologies so the United States can be compete with foreign wind companies."

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"The senators pointed out that the Norwegian government last month announced more funding for offshore wind energy…"

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"About 1.5 percent of the U.S. electricity supplies provided by utilities and independent power producers this year will be generated by wind energy, according to the Energy Department…

"[Senators Snowe, Collins, Carper and Kaufman] also called for more job training to boost the number of skilled workers who can build and maintain wind turbines."