SWANA Supports President's Advanced Energy Initiative

The Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) has offered its support of President Bush's recently announced Advanced Energy Initiative.

In his State of the Union address Tuesday, January 31, 2006, the president praised the efforts of those leading the way in the fight to find more reliable energy sources. The new initiative will create a 22 percent increase in clean energy research at the Department of Energy to push for breakthroughs in two areas: first, to change how Americans power their homes and offices; and second, to change how America powers its automobiles.

The goals of this initiative are to "dramatically improve [America's] environment;" and move beyond the petroleum dependence that has become what the president called "an addiction" in his address to the nation.

"We encourage the president and Congress to fully recognize landfill gas and waste-to-energy as cleaner, renewable fuel sources as part of the Advanced Energy Initiative," commented John H. Skinner, Ph.D., SWANA Executive Director and CEO, adding "With greater support from the Administration and Congress, these technologies have the potential to contribute significantly to the energy security of the United States."

SWANA has been an advocate for the use of landfill gas and waste-to-energy as reliable sources of alternative energy and has supported the production tax credit for these sources in recent legislation.

About SWANA:
For over 40 years, SWANA, The Solid Waste Association of North America, has been the leading professional association in the solid waste management field. SWANA's mission is "to advance the practice of environmentally and economically sound management of municipal solid waste." SWANA serves over 7,500 members and thousands more industry professionals with technical conferences, certifications, publications and a large offering of technical training courses.

www.SWANA.org

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