"There can be a next stage of prosperity in which American creativity builds not just a better product, but also a better planet. A next stage of progress in which it is an everyday accomplishment for Americans to develop path-breaking technologies that create millions of high-wage jobs, clean up the environment and combat global warming at the same time. A next stage of prosperity and progress in which we encourage and support the Edisons of tomorrow, and empower them to build a better, cleaner and more prosperous world." - Al Gore

Al Gore has issued a bold challenge to America: to summon all the innovation, all the skills and creativity of our country to protect a clean, healthy environment, and the stable seasons God gave us. Gore believes we can build modern, reliable and clean energy, industrial and transportation systems. Through the power of free markets and American ingenuity, Gore's plan will dramatically reduce pollution and our reliance on unreliable sources of energy - while creating more jobs.

THE NATIONAL ENERGY SECURITY AND ENVIRONMENT TRUST FUND

• Al Gore is proposing to create a new National Energy Security and Environment Trust Fund, designed to bring revolutionary change to our transportation and energy infrastructure so that we can begin creating a clean environment and a stable climate. Using market-based mechanisms, the Fund would help consumers purchase energy-efficient vehicles, homes, and appliances, assure Americans have clean and reliable sources of electric power and establish a Technologies for Tomorrow challenge to encourage longer term solutions to our dependence on imported sources of oil, thus strengthening our national security.
• Gore's new energy policy will focus on five goals:
• Save energy, reduce pollution, promote a higher standard of living and create high-wage jobs.
• Reduce the nation's dependence on unreliable imported oil.
• Protect children against the threat of pollution nationally and globally.
• Dramatically reduce the growing threat posed by global warming.
• Curtail brownouts by increasing the reliability of the power grid.

HELPING CONSUMERS PURCHASE ENERGY EFFICIENT CARS, TRUCKS AND HOMES

Al Gore is committed to helping working families purchase more energy-efficient cars, trucks and homes.

• Tax Credit for Energy-Efficient Cars and Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs): Under the leadership of Al Gore, the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles has helped spur new technologies such as hybrid electric and gas-powered engines as well as fuel cell propulsion systems that will give American families new choices in the cars and SUVs they buy. These new fuel-efficient vehicles promise superior, double or even triple gas mileage (up to 80 miles per gallon or more), with all the size and performance Americans want. Al Gore will give American consumers a $5,000 credit for the purchase of hybrid vehicles and up to $6,000 for the purchase of electric or fuel cell propelled cars. This credit will phase out in 2010.
• Tax Credit for Energy-Efficient Trucks: To complement the recently announced 21st Century truck initiative, Al Gore is proposing to provide tax credits for families and businesses that buy highly energy-efficient qualifying trucks. Purchasers of heavy pickup trucks would be eligible for tax credits of up to $4,000 per vehicle for trucks that are up to three times more efficient than current products. Purchasers of delivery trucks would be eligible for credits worth up to $5,000 for similarly fuel-efficient products. In addition, purchasers of 18-wheeler trucks would be eligible for tax credits ranging from $10,000 to $15,000 for the purchase of trucks that are one-and-a-half to two times more fuel-efficient.
• Tax Credit for Energy-Efficient Building Equipment: The Clinton-Gore Administration has proposed providing a 20% tax credit for the purchase of energy efficient building equipment, including electric heat pump hot water heaters and natural gas heat pumps. Under the Gore plan, the credit would be extended through 2010, helping consumers purchase more energy-efficient heat pumps, hot water heaters and other equipment.
• Tax Credit for Energy Efficient Homes: To help families reduce their utility bills, Al Gore is proposing to provide consumers with a credit to purchase energy-efficient new homes and to upgrade the energy efficiency of existing homes. Al Gore would provide a tax credit of up to $2,000 for the purchase of energy efficient new homes that meet energy-efficiency standards for heating, cooling, and hot water -- that significantly exceed the 1998 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC). He also would create a $1,000 tax credit to help homeowners retrofit existing homes to make them more energy efficient.
• Increased Funding for the Weatherization Program for Low-Income Families: Al Gore supports increased funding for the highly successful Weatherization Assistance Program that has helped low-income families save money by making their homes energy efficient. Typical improvements include installing insulation, upgrading heating and cooling systems, and eliminating air leaks. For every $1 invested, the Weatherization program returns $1.80 in energy savings.
• Tax Credit for Solar Energy Systems: Under current law, a 10% investment tax credit is provided to homes and/or businesses for qualifying equipment that uses solar energy to generate electricity, to heat or cool hot water, or to provide solar process heat. Al Gore is proposing to expand this tax credit. Under this proposal, the credit would be equal to 20% of qualified investment up to a maximum of $1,000 for solar water heating systems and $2,000 for rooftop photovoltaic systems.
• Consumer Tax Credits for Clean Power: In some states consumers have the option to choose cleaner energy sources. However, utilities often charge a higher rate for these cleaner sources of energy. To ensure that individuals and families have a real choice of energy sources, Al Gore is proposing to provide a tax credit that would partially reimburse consumers on a per-kilowatt-hour basis, for the cost of purchasing a cleaner energy alternative. This credit would phase-out in 2010.
• Assistance to State and Local Government Efforts to Help Families and Businesses Cut Energy Bills and Save Money: Some 20 states have launched efforts aimed at helping families and businesses cut their energy bills by reducing their energy use. The Clinton-Gore Administration has proposed a fund to match state investments in electric energy efficiency dollar for dollar. Al Gore will provide additional resources to support natural gas, fuel oil and Liquid Propane Gas users in addition to electric energy.
• Assistance to Communities that Come Together to Solve Environmental Problems: Using the highly successful empowerment zone legislation as a model, Al Gore will create a competition to provide $100 million in financial incentives to each of 20 communities that develop comprehensive strategic plans to reduce pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, while promoting economic development and jobs. One of the goals of this initiative will be to bring together industry, local organizations and governments in order to address the unique environmental and energy needs of each community.

ASSURING AMERICANS HAVE CLEAN AND RELIABLE SOURCES OF ELECTRIC POWER

Assuring Americans Have Clean and Reliable Sources of Electric Power: Al Gore supports measures to increase America's capacity to generate and distribute power cleanly and reliably. His plan would:

• Extend and Modify the Tax Credit for Producing Electricity from Renewable and Alternative Sources: Al Gore supports tax credits to help make electricity products produced from energy products that produce virtually no greenhouse emissions (i.e., wind, biomass and landfill methane).
• Provide Tax Incentives to Encourage Distributed Power: Distributed power technologies can be more energy efficient and generate fewer greenhouse gases than conventional electrical generation methods. Al Gore is proposing to provide accelerated depreciation for distributed power property.
• Establish Standards and Upgrade Infrastructure to Ensure the Reliability of the Electricity System: Al Gore supports legislation that would create an organization to adopt mandatory standards and penalties for utilities, which endanger the reliability of the power system. He also supports providing financial support to owners of electricity transmission infrastructure who upgrade their plants and avoid losses of power that take place during transmission.
• Increase the Supply of Gas for Electricity Generation: The current Administration has supported a successful policy in the Western part of the Gulf of Mexico to promote expanded exploration of natural gas. This program involves economic incentives for exploration and will expire in November 2000. Al Gore supports legislation extending the program beyond November 2000.

REDUCING POLLUTION IN INDUSTRY: THE "TECHNOLOGIES FOR TOMORROW" CHALLENGE

• Market-based Solutions: As President, Al Gore will develop new market-based solutions to address the challenges to our environment and energy security posed by old power plants, transmission facilities and large industrial energy users, with a goal of establish substantial reductions in the environmental impact of large industries.
• Offering Incentives to Industry to Reduce Pollution: Al Gore would propose legislation which offers a menu of financial mechanisms such as tax incentives, loans, grants, bonds, or other financial instruments to those power plants and industries that come forward with projects that promise to dramatically reduce climate and health-threatening pollution.
• Financial Support Will Be Pegged to Actual Pollution Reductions: Financial assistance will be competitively-based, with assistance going to those plans that are most likely to produce the greatest pollution reductions for the least cost.
• No New Bureaucracies Will Be Created: Gore will appoint a Board of Governors and will enlist the private sector in the design and management of the competition.
• Spurring Private Investment in New and Innovative Technologies: Gore's plan will reduce dependence on unreliable imported oil by increasing the use of domestic energy and transportation technology that could help reduce pollution. The plan would expand investment in the Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR) and the Advance Technology Program (ATP) to help bring new energy-efficient and environmental technologies to the marketplace.

KEEP AMERICA MOVING

Al Gore is committed to giving us more choices as we travel within and between our communities. Gore's new Keep America Moving Initiative will expand the transportation choices available to the American people by investing in alternatives such as light rail, high-speed rail, mag-lev, and cleaner, safer buses. As President, Al Gore will invest in clean, comfortable, and convenient transportation technologies that will encourage economic development, enhance the mobility of the American people, reduce traffic congestion, build more livable communities, and reduce our dependence on unreliable foreign sources of oil.

Source: Al Gore for President 2000 Web Site