Joseph R. Pitts, July 11, 2003

Government and business has always had a tenuous relationship, especially in America where, as one former President said, "the business of America is business."

Nowhere is this tension more evident than in the environment. In the last century, progress on environmental protection was measured by lawsuits won and regulations enacted. This bogged down our economy in the tangled web of bureaucracy that ensued.

The twenty-first century has to be different. There is still much work to be done in protecting our environment. But the measure of progress has to change. With new and exciting technologies developed almost daily, the new measure of progress will be how we incorporate that technology to conserve energy and encourage economic growth.

I believe that the government should not dictate what new technology industry develops. However, there are times when government can partner with industry to encourage innovation in the interests of the public good. We do not have to look any further than the House energy bill to find an example of this type of partnership.

On April 10, the House of Representatives voted to pass a comprehensive and balanced energy plan for America.

The plan promotes initiatives that will decrease our dependence on foreign oil, enhance conservation efforts, and create jobs. The bill also encourages the development of technologies that will provide cleaner and more efficient sources of energy. One of these technologies is the use of hydrogen of as a source of power.

The idea to use hydrogen as a replacement for fossil fuel is not new. During the fuel shortages of the 1970s, researchers began to explore alternative ways to power cars and lower dependence on foreign oil. As fuel prices fell in the 1980s, this research slowed.

It picked up again in the 1990s as concerns over the environmental effects of fossil fuels inspired a renewed commitment to alternative energy sources for our cars. Today, environmental concerns and the quest to reduce dependence on foreign oil have renewed research into the use of hydrogen.

President Clinton started the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles (PNGV), a consortium of the federal government and the three major American automobile manufacturers. The PNGV played a key role in the development of advanced technology cars.

In January 2002 President Bush decided to strengthen the program. He replaced the PNGV with the FreedomCAR program, to focus more on long-term goals and more viable technology.

In his State of the Union address, President Bush clearly stated his commitment to the idea. In his budget request he put his money where his mouth is, asking Congress to fund two important research components of his plan: a new effort to develop lower cost ways to produce hydrogen from natural gas, and a companion program to diversify the nation's future hydrogen supplies by developing new ways to produce hydrogen from America's abundant coal resources.

The House met his request and even looked further into the future by creating tax credits for people who will buy cars powered by hydrogen fuel cells.

The technology itself sounds simple. The idea is that a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen generates energy, producing only water as a byproduct.

Practically, it’s a little more difficult. Hydrogen fuel cells are expensive, heavy, and difficult to refuel. When was the last time you saw a hydrogen pump on the side of the road?

There are still barriers to cross and hurdles to jump before your car will be powered by hydrogen, but it is the idea that is intriguing.

It is a good first step towards building partnerships between the government and business that will encourage innovation, protect the environment, and drive economic growth for the twenty-first century.

Congressman Joe Pitts represents Pennsylvania’s Sixteenth Congressional District, spanning all of Lancaster County and parts of Berks and Chester counties.