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By DAN KOHLER, The Daily Telegram

With the first meaningful improvement in gas mileage standards in a generation, Congress has taken a significant step in an energy bill signed by President Bush.

But even this big step forward is just the beginning of what we must do to address America’s energy challenges. If we’re serious about America’s transition to a clean energy economy and solving global warming, we can’t stop now.

The next milestone in the journey toward clean energy must include making a national commitment to renewable energy. And, the best way to put America on a path to clean, homegrown, renewable energy is one that is simple and has proven remarkably effective: Setting a nationwide minimum standard for renewable electricity

Congress just missed a golden opportunity to jump start renewable energy in America by including a renewable electricity standard in this energy bill. Unfortunately, the threat of a presidential veto and a Republican led filibuster fueled by the coal industry and the utilities forced the Senate to drop a provision that had been passed by the House of Representatives to require that utilities provide 15 percent of their power from renewable resources despite Senator Feingold’s support.

Governors, mayors, labor unions, farmers, investors and the faith community have all united to support a national renewable electricity standard because it will create jobs, save consumers money, revitalize rural communities and make significant cuts in global warming pollution. A recent study by the Renewable Energy Policy Project for the United Steelworkers showed that a 15-20 percent renewable standard has the potential of creating 850,000 new jobs in component part manufacturing alone.

Thanks to Wisconsin’s renewable energy standard, clean renewable energy will generate 79 megawatts of energy by the end of this year. These projects will replace dirty energy as well as prevent the use of 14.2 million gallons of water and avert 159,000 metric tons of global warming pollution.

Wisconsin, along with every other state in the country, would benefit greatly from a national renewables standard. An analysis by the Union of Concerned Scientists found that a federal renewables standard would create 4,240 clean energy jobs in Wisconsin, and save Wisconsinites $90 million through lower energy bills by 2020.

America’s skilled workforce and the same venture capitalists and entrepreneurs who helped revolutionize telecommunications and the Internet are lining up to usher in the green energy boom. But the clean energy revolution won’t happen on its own. In order to realize the full potential of our renewable energy resources, the U.S. needs strong and consistent public policy to support these new economies. That is why Goldman Sachs, Google, and other investment power houses have endorsed the renewable electricity standard.

After decades of federal inaction on fuel economy, Congress has taken action. They shouldn’t stop there. The next step on our journey toward a new energy future must be to follow the leaders in the 25 states that are already reaping the rewards of clean renewable energy. Congress should continue its work to pass a national renewable electricity standard.

— Dan Kohler directs Wisconsin Environment, a statewide, non-partisan, non-profit environmental advocacy organization that can be found at www.WisconsinEnvironment.org