Energy and Environment
Overview
Our nation is too dependent on foreign oil. Instead of sending money overseas to unfriendly regimes, we must consider all options to power our country now and in the future. With old-fashioned American innovation and ingenuity, I believe that we can find new, clean solutions for the 21st century.
Right here in Tennessee, we already know first-hand how alternative energy solutions can create jobs and boost local economies. Companies like Wacker Chemie AG, Shoals Technology Group, and Nissan have invested across the state in solar power technology, electric automobiles, and advanced batteries. It is no surprise that Tennessee is leading the way toward a safe, clean energy future.
Protecting the environment is a responsibility we owe our children and grandchildren. I have one of the strongest environmental records in the South and consistently receive high ratings from groups such as the League of Conservation Voters, the Sierra Club and the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy. I have long supported legislation to strengthen the Endangered Species Act, protect our public lands and national parks, and defend the Clean Air Act against partisan attacks. My advocacy of cap-and-trade goes back to 1990, when I helped craft an amendment to the Clean Air Act that dramatically reduced acid rain. Every nation must take drastic measures to reduce pollution and address climate change; it’s time Congress stopped dragging its feet.
Links & Additional Information
House Committee on Energy and Commerce
House Committee on Natural Resources
Tennessee's Department of Environment and Conservation
Tennessee's Office of Energy Programs
U.S. Department of Energy
U.S. Energy Information Administration
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
More on Energy and Environment
“Tariff” is an ugly word. It’s not a cuss word or an insult, but it’s a government word, used mainly in capitols and legislatures.
If someone “puts a tariff on you,” it sounds like a hex. Fortunately, only presidents or Congress can impose tariffs. Think of tariffs as Washington voodoo.
A tariff is not a hex but a tax — or series of taxes — on what other nations try to sell to us. Politicians are not brave enough to call them tax hikes, but they are.
Legislation Asserts Congress’ Right to Scrutinize Presidential Trade Actions, Including Tariffs
WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper (TN-05) today announced he is cosponsoring bipartisan legislation that would require presidents to allow Congress to review proposed trade actions – such as tariffs – at least 60 days before the trade actions are scheduled to take effect.
EFFECTS OF A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN
A list of government agencies and how you might be affected during a shutdown.
WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper (TN-5) this week proposed an amendment to the Ozone Standards Implementation Act that would have ensured states have the option of including local land use policies – such as zoning and local ordinances – in State Implementation Plans (SIPs).
SIPs are state-approved, long-term plans required for meeting federal air quality standards, such as controlling smog and other harmful pollutants. But existing law is ambiguous on including local land use policies in these SIPs.
NASHVILLE – U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper (TN-05) today announced his IssueWatch project, a twice-weekly online newsletter dedicated to Middle Tennesseans interested in important congressional updates and other major happenings in Washington.
Knowledge is power, but it’s never been more important to stay informed. Sign-up for IssueWatch, a twice-weekly online newsletter dedicated to Middle Tennesseans interested in following important congressional news and other major happenings in Washington.
Published in the Tennessean
Nashville is about to lose one of its few beaches, a small part of Old Hickory Lake, and even risk harming the dam itself. Why? Because a local developer wants to blast a new quarry in the wrong place, on land touching the beach and the dam.
Tennessee State House Agriculture & Natural Resources Subcommittee Hearing
U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper’s Testimony on HB 2292, the Dam Safety Act
March 8, 2016
JIM COOPER: Thank you Chairman Lollar, members of the committee. I am deeply grateful for your distinguished service to our state.
CHAIRMAN LOLLAR: Please quote your name.
Keep quarry near Old Hickory Dam from harming Nashville
The Tennessean
October 8, 2015
By Jim Cooper
What would happen to Nashville if one of the dams failed up the Cumberland River?