The Energy Bill and You

What's in the Energy Bill?

June 14, 2007 · The controversial energy bill now on the Senate floor takes a different approach than the bill pushed through by a Republican Senate in 2005. That measure sought to increase domestic oil production through subsidies and other incentives. With Democrats now in charge, the new bill focuses on decreasing consumption of oil and gasoline. Here's a look at the bill's major provisions: as per: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=11036759

Fuel Economy: The bill would, for the first time in decades, raise average fuel-economy standards for cars and SUVs or light trucks (up to 10,000 pounds) — from 25 mpg to 35 mpg by 2020 (a roughly 40 percent increase). Guess who will pay for you to either get your car up to standards or to pay for a car that is up to standard. This provision is the most controversial, especially with the auto industry, which argues that it could push up the production costs of each vehicle by thousands of dollars. That has led some Democrats to propose federal financial relief for automakers.

Renewable Fuels: The bill mandates the use of 15 billion gallons of biofuels annually by 2015 and 36 billion gallons by 2022 (up from 8.5 billion gallons in 2008). In the beginning, most of the biofuel would be corn ethanol. Beginning in 2016, the bill mandates annual increases of 3 billion gallons in the use of advanced biofuels – such as "cellulosic" ethanol, which can be made from switch grass, wood chips or agricultural waste. Oil refineries and food manufacturers – who warn that diverting corn to ethanol production could hike up food costs — oppose this provision. Aren't groceries high enough? Many people go without as it is.

This is how your fridge will look if you are lucky by the time Obama is done!

Energy Efficiency: The bill sets energy-efficiency standards for home appliances, heating and cooling systems, lights and residential boilers. It requires federal agencies to get at least 15 percent of their electricity from renewable sources by 2015 and to reduce oil consumption by 20 percent. It also requires regular government review of efficiency standards.

Carbon Capture and Storage: The bill promotes research into methods of capturing carbon dioxide emissions from power plants and storing them underground.

Once again your tax dollars....!

Public Buildings: The bill requires energy efficiency in federal buildings, mandating a 20 percent reduction in operating expenses over five years through the use of more-efficient lights, heating and cooling. It also authorizes three demonstration projects that put "green-building" techniques into practice. If these are federal buildings...we will be paying for this also.

Energy Security: The bill asks the secretary of state to establish "strategic energy partnerships" with the governments of major energy producers (so now we are going to "get in bed" with other countries) and consumers to increase international energy security.

Price Gouging: The bill makes oil industry "price gouging" a federal crime during times when the president has declared a temporary "national energy emergency" — much like the emergencies that states declared after Hurricane Katrina. The Federal Trade Commission would also be given greater authority to investigate possible manipulation of the oil market – including refinery shutdowns. Oil companies and the Bush administration strongly oppose this provision, which has prompted a veto threat from President Bush.

SMALLER ITEMS:
The bill also includes a host of smaller items, such as:
—incentives to spur new inventions in light bulb efficiency
—block grants to state and local governments to reduce energy use (if grants are blocked to the state and local governments then local funding for the poor and needy will be shut down)
—a grant program to reduce school bus idling
—authorization for an initiative to improve car batteries

Now what does this mean to you? If you own a home, it means a great deal.

If you will notice I highlighted in red the main article I am discussing today.

First off the bill will require all people and companies to change to energy efficient light bulbs. Now this is a great idea, I personally just did this to my entire house. However this is not cheap to do. If you buy regular light bulbs they cost about .99 cents for 4. The energy efficient bulbs cost about $8.00 a piece and since we will be required by law to have them...you know the price will increase. Now I have ceiling fans in every room and each holds 4 bulbs, I have 7 rooms in my house thus I needed to buy 28 bulbs. As I stated this is not cheap to do. But yes it is a law and will be in full effect by 2012.

The point here is to save money on energy and to save the world from using up so much. But as I stated you are required to purchase these and it gets worse.

Next, before you can sell you home it must be inspected by the state to be sure that the entire home is energy efficient. Who wouldn't want that? We all would but lets face it...we can't all afford to change our our water heaters, our regular heaters, all appliances, light bulbs, air conditioners, washer and dryers etc. (just on a note: since I changed bulbs 2 months ago I have not seen any change in my electric bill)

Here is the catch...not only will your home have to have another costly inspection that yes you pay for, you will be required to change out and replace anything that the "inspector" deems "not energy efficient". So basically you better be ready to spend big $$$ to be able to even pass the inspection and be able to sell you house.

Yes that is it...you cannot sell your home or even put it on the market unless ALL improvements are taken care of. If you wish to put in the "fridge" with the sale of the house, it must be energy efficient, meet certain criteria and then pass inspection.

Doesn't Obama realize that everyone does not have that type of money?

Let view a typical sale of a home.

Lets say you wish to sell you home for $100,000...

Right off the top you have to figure realtor fees at at least 6.5% which is $6500.00. Then keeping in mind..your selling price is generally reduced by an offer of 10% less. There goes another 10,000. You then have closing costs, taxes and whatever needs to be repaired which generally runs about $4500.00. So now your $100,000 just dropped to $79,000. Now most of us still have our loan and lets say (on the good side) that we only owe $40,000. Now with that taken off you are now holding $39,000 on a home that you have paid at least $80,000 in interest on. Thus you have now lost money. With the economy the way it is now...these figures would drop even more for you.

Now here comes Obama and wants you to cut into the money you have left in your pocket...and spend at least $5000.00 to do the required upgrades and that is if you can get it done for that amount. It will probably be even more, and don't forget at the end of the year you can pay taxes on your Sale amount!

So the bottom line: if you are planning on selling you better do so now!

There is already the "incentives"...such as buy a house now and get an $8000.00 tax credit.
What good does that do, if I will have to turn around and pay that out anyways. And then this is only if you qualify and do some research on this...most people will not qualify.

Please keep in mind...these incentives come out of the tax money you pay...

I personally would rather have my tax money!

This goes along with our rights being violated...or rather null and void as you have not say so in this.

I Never agreed to this! DID YOU!