T. Boone Pickens names Sam Johnson an "Energy Independence Crusader"

July 9, 2009

Today U.S. Congressman Sam Johnson (3rd Dist.-Texas) announced his support for the New Alternative Transportation to Give Americans Solutions (NAT GAS) Act, H.R. 1835.  The bill aims to accelerate the production and use of more natural gas-fueled vehicles.  The bipartisan legislation is driven by the need for America to quickly reduce its dependence on foreign oil while simultaneously reducing greenhouse gases and urban pollution. 

“As a supporter of the NAT GAS Act, Congressman Johnson is a true energy independence crusader, proving his commitment to enabling his constituents in North Texas to choose a legitimately American fuel at the pump,” said oil executive turned alternative energy advocate, T. Boone Pickens. “Natural gas is the only available domestic resource that can replace foreign oil as a transportation fuel.  It’s cleaner, it’s cheaper, it’s abundant, and it’s ours.” 

According to the Wall Street Journal, “America is now swimming in natural gas” and has the equivalent of “18 years’ worth of current oil production” and “enough to satisfy nearly 100 years of current U.S. natural gas demand.”

In a related matter, earlier in the week in the Third District, Johnson toured environmentally friendly companies in Garland and McKinney.  On Monday morning, Johnson visited the newly redesigned Garland Chamber of Commerce now located at Richland College’s Garland campus.  The site has applied for the prestigious Leadership in Energy and Environmental (LEED) designation.  According to the university, “It is our intent that the systems and operations in this new building function in efficient ways to produce the minimum impact to the environment and carbon footprint.”

For example, the campus installed a white reflective roof to reduce the sun’s heating effects on the building’s cooling system.  The facility captures rain water on the roof and parking lot and reuses the water for irrigation and landscaping.  They also use renewable resources such as bamboo flooring in the tenant wing. 

Later that day, Johnson travelled to Hie Electronics in McKinney.  During the visit, Johnson viewed the TeraStack Solution, a 50 terabyte "green" optical data storage device.  Johnson praised Hie Electronics for the recent placement of a TeraStack Solution at Keesler Air Force Base to be used for traumatic brain injury scan storage.  According to the company, the TeraStack Solution is designated as a "green business" by Tested Green, a national green certification program for businesses interested in doing business with the federal government. Hie Electronics employs 35 people.

Also this week on Capitol Hill, Johnson met with the director of the newly formed Energy Institute at the University of Texas at Austin, Dr. Ray Orbach. 

Johnson represents portions of Dallas and Collin Counties.  (For a photo of Congressman Johnson, T. Boone Pickens and other congressional co-sponsors of H.R. 1835, or for a photo of Johnson touring the Garland Chamber or visiting with Hie employees in McKinney, contact McCall Avery at 202-225-4201.)

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