STATEMENT FOR THE RECORD - MICHAEL C. BURGESS

ENERGY AND COMMERCE HEARING:

"Unlocking America's Energy Resources: Next Generation"

May 18, 2006

Mr. Chairman,

Thank you for convening today's hearing.

In my district, we run the gamut of renewable energy - there's a company that manufactures solar panels in Keller and another that manufactures wind turbines in Gainesville.

The Lake Dallas Independent School District uses geothermal energy to heat and cool their schools. The Wal-Mart in McKinney, which is near both my district and Chairman Barton's, is one of two of their new “energy efficient” stores and uses renewable technologies such as solar panels on the roof and wind turbines in the parking lot to generate electricity for the store.

And in Denton, under the leadership of Mayor Euline Brock, they have constructed the world's first renewable biodiesel facility. The facility is powered by biogas extracted from the adjacent City of Denton Landfill and has the capacity to produce approximately three million gallons of pure biodiesel per year.

The City of Denton's use of a biodiesel fuel mix is expected to reduce emissions by twelve tons per year. The opening of this facility opening demonstrates the City of Denton's dedication to cleaning up the air we breathe. This is especially important in the North Texas region as we work to comply with Clean Air Act requirements.

That is why this hearing is so important today. As our economy grows, so too does our demand for energy. As we try to satisfy this demand in a environmentally-friendly way, affordable renewable fuel sources will take on an even greater importance than they do already.

I'd like to thank the witnesses for appearing before us today; I am looking forward to hearing your testimony.