948 HISTORY OF THE COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 



"WHAT ON EARTH ARE YOU WAITING FOR?" 



Brown expressed his unhappiness with the budget presented in 

 1979 in its treatment of the Energy Extension Service, the program of 

 small grants under $50,000 for energy programs, and the automobile 

 propulsion program. Ottinger, never bashful about expressing sharp 

 criticisms of witnesses, assailed Schlesinger for DOE's slowness in 

 moving forward in the conservation area: 



What on Earth arc you waiting for? * * * Why arc wc waiting to institute the 

 kinds of conservation programs that you arc discussing or considering far off in the 

 future? * * * We cither have a crisis or we don't. We are not acting as if we do. * * * 

 On this committee, I think we ought to be choosing some priorities and really 

 pushing them much faster. 



Blanchard was also critical: 



I am still waiting for an aggressive energy program. * * * What is your position 

 on the domestic policy review, on this decision that has to be made regarding our 

 commitment to solar energy? What type of posture on solar energy? 



To Ottinger, Schlesinger responded that the tax credits voted by 

 Congress to encourage better home insulation and use of solar heating 

 were additionally useful achievements in conservation. He mentioned 

 that the dollar-for-dollar increase in Gross National Product and 

 energy consumption had been reduced to 70 cents of energy consump- 

 tion for every dollar increase in GNP. Regarding the future of solar 

 energy, Schlesinger responded: 



I would say, generally speaking, I have urged strong support for solar energy. I 

 have not been favorable to the establishment of the prescribed target for some par- 

 ticular year until some of the uncertainties regarding the technologies are resolved so 

 that we would have a better understanding of the effectiveness. I think that as wc 

 develop these technologies solar energy can take on an increasing share of the total 

 energy budget. * * * There is not a consensus in the country or in the committee 

 regarding future energy sources. 



Gore also emphasized: "I just don't see the sense of urgency." He 

 pointed to budget cuts in energy conservation, industrial cogeneration, 

 urban waste conversion grants, and testing of gasohol. 



FUTURE PROSPECTS FOR SOLAR ENERGY 



During the question period, Wydler again challenged Schlesinger 

 on solar energy. He pointed to a recent review by Dr. Frank Press, 

 Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, which had 

 concluded that it would be several decades before solar energy would 

 make any significant contribution to electrical energy production. 

 Wydler asked: 



It says, don't bank too much on solar energy for any significant contribution 

 Yet, wc are making a very sustained drive to spend a lot more money in that area. 

 Now, those two things arc somewhat inconsistent. 



