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Rep. Chellie Pingree

Mr. Speaker, I want to talk for a minute about some exciting developments in clean energy in my State of Maine.

Last week, Energy Secretary Chu released a report detailing the enormous potential for tidal energy off of U.S. coasts. There is enough there to meet up to one-third of our needs, and he singled out Maine, saying, ``These resources can create new industries and new jobs in America.''

He's right, and we're proving it. The Ocean Renewable Power Company of Portland is building a tidal power project in Maine that, if all goes as planned, will start producing clean, American-made electricity as early as this summer.

Meanwhile, we're welcoming one of the biggest energy companies in the world to our State. Statoil from Norway is considering a pilot project of large-scale wind turbines that would produce clean electricity while floating out of view off our coast. Experts say up to 15,000 jobs can be created in my State by offshore wind, good-paying American jobs that will help us regain our energy independence.

This is good news off our coast, Mr. Speaker, for Maine and our country.