The U.S. Senate approved a $125 million amendment proposed by Sen. Lisa Murkowski for next year’s budget for geothermal, ocean and small scale hydro-electric.
The amendment provides $50 million for geothermal research and development, $50 million for ocean energy research and $25 million for research and grant assistance for small hydro development.
The amendement is part of the Senate version of the FY 2007 Supplemental Appropriations bill, S.965 (S. Rept 110-37).
Senator Lisa Murkowski told the Senate she was offering this amendment because “..the budget shortchanges three areas of great energy potential: geothermal, ocean energy and small hydro electric development.” Senator Murkowski continued, “..by this amendment I am making a clear statement that this senator wants to see money not just restored, but increased for geothermal energy research and development, and provided for research and development of all forms of ocean energy current, tidal and wave projects — and also for small hydroelectric developments, those that do not involving the damming of major river systems, but instead use water from lake taps, creeks or from run-of-river projects to generate power.”
The amendment would reverse Administration initiatives to achieve “major savings” in the federal budget by closing these two renewable research programs. The Administration proposed termination of all hydropower research in its FY 2006 budget, and termination of all geothermal research in its FY 2007 and FY 2008 budgets.
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