A few weeks after announcing plans for the Blue Energy Innovation Act from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory’s Marine and Coastal Research Laboratory in Sequim, Washington representatives Derek Kilmer and Dan Newhouse introduced H.R. 6680 to the House of Representatives on Feb. 9.
The bipartisan effort looks to significantly increase efforts in the water-based economy and in research and development of blue energy, creating low-cost water energy in marine environments.
The multi-faceted bill, the lawmakers, say, would:
• provide $75 million from the Department of Energy to advance technological innovation to better harness ocean energy, increase deployment of newer renewable technologies in water, drive decarbonization efforts and create jobs;
• establish the Blue Economy Center of Excellence, tentatively in Sequim, to help coordinate the Department of Energy’s offices, national laboratories, research institutions, state governments, and other federal agencies to achieve the shared decarbonization and renewable energy mission; and,
• require DOE to report to Congress on funding for blue energy technologies.
Kilmer said via press release that Washington state has led the effort to develop blue energy while driving economic development and creating jobs.
“Now is the time to take action to put those efforts on overdrive,” he said.
“With tremendous assets like the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Sequim, which houses the only marine research facilities in the Department of Energy complex, and a unique and thriving maritime sector, this bipartisan legislation can help Washington state become a global leader in driving innovation and sustainability, creating blue economy jobs, and fighting the climate crisis.”
As of Feb. 22, H.R. 6680 was referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
Newhouse, Washington state’s fourth district representative for central Washington, said via the joint press release that renewable energy is critically important to the nation’s energy portfolio and key to Central Washington, which has a diverse mix of clean and renewable energy sources in the region, including hydropower and nuclear energy.
He said this makes “Central Washington a great example of utilizing an ‘all-of-the-above’ energy strategy” and the act expands this strategy.
“I am proud to introduce this legislation which supports this critical, groundbreaking research and capitalizes on our region’s unique expertise in ocean and water sciences,” Newhouse said.
“This work will benefit the entire country while creating local jobs and stimulating economic growth in our region.”
Kilmer and Newhouse toured the Sequim campus on Jan. 28 with Newhouse saying he was impressed for his first visit.
“You can visualize easily why this is the perfect spot in the nation for this kind of work,” he said.
Kilmer said if HR 6680 passes, “it would mean a huge federal investment in Sequim that would position the Sequim lab to lead a coordinated national strategy around research and development and deployment of these technologies in this Blue Economy space.”
Find the bill online at congress.gov and search for “HR 6680.”
