Bennett's $50 Billion Provision Cut from Stimulus Bill

February 12, 2009

The Salt Lake Tribune, by Thomas Burr

Washington - Congressional negotiators have cut a $50 billion provision for low-carbon energy producers pushed by Sen. Bob Bennett, R-Utah, in the giant stimulus package.The funding, which critics contended was aimed to "bail out" the nuclear industry, was chopped from the bill as members of the House and Senate met to whittle down the measure to under $800 billion.
The environmental group Friends of the Earth started running advertisements slamming Bennett on cable news stations in Utah after he inserted the $50 billion into the stimulus bill in a Senate committee. The funding was aimed at innovative, low-carbon producing energy technology, though green groups said the money would end up producing new nuclear power plants.
Bennett decried the characterization of the environmental groups, saying the funding would go to other alternative energy options, such as solar, wind and geothermal.
On Thursday, Bennett said the funding was lost because of the group's political attacks.
"The interesting thing to me was that the only opposition that erupted publicly was that I had somehow gone into the tank with the nuclear industry, and the whole purpose of trying to get this loan guarantee was because I wanted major new nuclear plants," Bennett said, "and under no circumstances could we do that."
Environmental groups hailed the decision to cut the funding.
"This is a huge win for our planet and for taxpayers who want stimulus funds to be invested wisely," said Friends of the Earth President Brent Blackwelder. "The bailout in question would have thrilled nuclear industry lobbyists but done virtually nothing to stimulate the economy."
Bennett opposed the overall stimulus bill in Senate votes.
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