 |
Government Relations
Case Study: Advancing American Energy with the Gas Technology Institute |
Challenge
The Gas Technology Institute (GTI) promotes the development of homegrown energy in the United States. Focusing on technological advancement specific to natural gas, hydrogen, biofuels and alternative energy resources. The company’s ultimate objectives are to improve domestic energy production and end use efficiency, and to ensure that the U.S. is at the forefront of energy-related science. However, to achieve its goals, GTI required additional talent, ongoing improvements in technology and specific government support for energy research and development projects.
Solution
The America Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education and Science Act (America COMPETES Act) was making its way across Capitol Hill. Working with GTI, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck identified opportunities to positively impact the legislation and help shape the future of American energy production and use. Brownstein policy advisors advocated two important provisions to the Act that would make the U.S. more competitive.
The first is the establishment of the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E). ARPA-E will fund and conduct research in high-risk, high-reward innovations in the energy field, including projects for natural gas, coal, biofuels, hydrogen and other alternative energy resources. ARPA-E will be critical in keeping America at the forefront of transformational energy research.
The legislation also provides a talent expansion program for institutions of higher education. The program focuses on hard science fields that are needed to transition our energy infrastructure and economy to the utilization of clean, domestic energy sources. Of particular importance to GTI, the legislation authorizes the federal government to invest in the education of the next generation of American researchers needed to accomplish this goal.
On August 9, 2007, President Bush signed the America COMPETES Act. The Act not only serves the long-term goals of GTI, but it also provides funding, support and talent expansion for crucial domestic energy use and production improvements within the United States. |
| |
|
| |
|
© 2008. Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP. All Rights Reserved. Attorney Advertisement. |