The Senate approved a bill that would provide tax credits for renewable energy and energy efficiency, the Associated Press reported, and a top trucking official urged Congress to pass comprehensive measures to help lower fuel costs.
The energy tax credits were part of a bigger tax bill that included business and personal tax credits, and now travels to the House for final consideration, AP said.
The bill also would send money to 29 Texas counties to respond to the effects of Hurricane Ike, which hit near Houston on Sept. 13, Bloomberg reported.
Meanwhile, a trucking executive speaking on behalf American Trucking Associations urged Congress and the Bush administration to implement a comprehensive energy plan to help ensure affordable supply of oil and limit the effect of rising fuel costs on the overall economy.
“It is clear that our energy crisis is a complex problem that requires a comprehensive solution,” said Barbara Windsor, chief executive officer of Hahn Transportation, New Market, Md.
“This dramatic year-over-year increase in the cost of diesel fuel is harmful to the trucking industry and the U.S. economy. The fuel crisis we face today is severe,” she told the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Tuesday.
Windsor said the United States needs a comprehensive energy plan that decreases demand for fossil fuels, increases domestic energy production and ensures transparency in oil markets.
