Pallone Remarks at North American Energy Trade Hearing

Washington, D.C. – Energy and Commerce Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) delivered the following opening remarks today at a Subcommittee on Energy hearing on "The Impacts and Future of North American Energy Trade:"

Mr. Chairman, regardless of the outcome of the current NAFTA talks, the U.S. will continue to trade fossil fuel commodities with Canada and Mexico for years to come. I would like to see a change in our focus. Rather than focusing on trading fossil fuel commodities, we should prioritize expansion of renewable energy technologies and how they can benefit the North American electricity grid. According to the Energy Information Administration, more than half of new electricity generating capacity added to the grid between 2014 and 2016 came from renewable technologies. We should look at expanding this technology so that we can make renewables a larger part of our electric exports.

In 2009, the U.S.-Canada Clean Energy Dialogue was launched to encourage clean energy technology development among our two nations. One key aspect of this collaboration focused on expanding and modernizing the North American transmission grid to facilitate movement of renewable power between the U.S. and Canada. Right now there are several large-scale transmission projects in the works to bring renewable power across the U.S. borders with Canada and Mexico. The modernization of the grid in order to facilitate these type of projects is critical to the overall future of energy development in North America.

The U.S. has also forged a strong agreement with Canada and Mexico to address climate pollution and advance clean energy. In 2016, the countries established the North American Climate, Clean Energy, and Environment Partnership. Collectively, the partnership set a goal of 50 percent clean power generation and a more than 40 percent reduction in methane emissions by 2025. The Trump Administration has been silent on this commitment, but based on the President's foolish decision to walk away from the Paris Climate Agreement, I do not have high hopes that he will fulfill this commitment.

It's unfortunate that the Republican majority has focused today's hearing primarily on fossil fuels. Instead, I believe it is even more important for us to focus on ways we can continue to work with our neighbors to reduce carbon emissions and expand trade in clean energy technologies.

We have a knowledgeable panel of witnesses here before us, and I look forward to hearing their testimony on this timely issue. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I yield back the remainder of my time.

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