![]() Dear Ms. Poirier,
Sincerely,
![]() Rep. Dan Newhouse
Member of Congress
Washington, DC Office Yakima Office Tri-Cities Office North District: Visit my website to learn more! |
Not sure if it did, but why not share -
![]() Dear Ms. Poirier,
Sincerely,
![]() Rep. Dan Newhouse
Member of Congress
Washington, DC Office Yakima Office Tri-Cities Office North District: Visit my website to learn more! |
Like you, I believe we have a responsibility to use our natural resources wisely and with care. As a farmer, I consider myself a conservationist and steward of our natural resources. While there is debate over how much of our changing climate is being caused by mankind, we must continue to respect our environment, and encourage innovative ways to produce energy. Washington’s 4th Congressional District is home to a vast array of renewable and carbon-neutral energy sources—including biomass, nuclear, solar, wind, and hydropower—which make Central Washington a prime example of a successful diversified energy portfolio that is often discussed among policymakers and academics nationwide.
Ensuring that our country has a diverse energy portfolio for future generations to draw from should remain a top priority for all of us, and I remain committed to supporting a diverse energy mix in Washington and throughout the United States. According to 2015 data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), the State of Washington ranked ninth in the nation in net generation of electricity from wind energy. Furthermore, EIA’s data found that Washington was the country’s leading producer of hydroelectric energy, which accounted for 30 percent of the nation’s hydroelectricity generation, and in total roughly 70% of Washington’s energy is derived from hydropower.
Too often, the debate over climate science is politicized and people are divided into two groups: “climate change believers” and “climate deniers”. This oversimplification hinders the ability to discuss the issue. Rather, we should focus our energy on research that is based on sound data and scientific integrity so we can undertake a serious dialogue on the best path forward. I strongly believe that we should be encouraging renewable and carbon-neutral energy sources like hydropower, nuclear, wind, biomass, and solar. However, we must also recognize that through innovation, ingenuity, collaboration, and research and development, we have the capacity to usher in a new era of energy production in the U.S. that both provides a stable supply of energy, while also protecting our environment for future generations yet to come.
It should be a top priority for all of us to ensure that our nation has a diverse energy portfolio for future generations to draw from, and I remain committed to supporting a diverse energy mix in Washington State and throughout the United States.
I hope you will continue to be in contact as Congress debates the issues of importance to the country. Thank you again for taking the time to share your concerns with me—I am always glad to hear from constituents of the 4th District. It is an honor and privilege to serve you in Congress.