Senator John Cornyn of Texas

“Texas has long been a world leader in energy. It is projects like this that demonstrate our state remains at the forefront of energy advances. Wind power is a growing alternative source of energy that promises an eventual reduction in our dependence on fossil fuels. 

“It’s critical for our national and economic security to continue expanding all forms of domestic energy production. This project takes steps to do that.  In addition to the important research this project will bring to the nation, it also brings benefits to the local economies in Texas, including Corpus Christi, Houston, West Texas and other parts of the state.

“Wind energy is one of the cleaner, alternative energy sources that we must continue pushing. Increasing development and production of these sources will help reduce our dependence on foreign oil and meet our growing energy demands, while doing so in an environmentally friendly way.”   

Late last year, Sen. Cornyn joined other members of the Texas congressional delegation in sending a letter to the Secretary of Energy in support of this effort.  Sen. Cornyn and his colleagues wrote in part, “It is with strong confidence that we write you in support of Texas’ efforts to bring the Department of Energy’s next generation of wind blade and turbine testing facilities to the state. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s Cooperative Research and Development Agreement’s goal of building a state-of-the-art test facility for the purpose of leveraging the United States into the next century of energy production is a worthy effort that is certain to have a lasting impact on this nation’s ability to free itself from foreign energy. It is our belief that Texas offers the best equipped and developed resources for the successful implementation of this effort.”

The Lone Star Wind Alliance proposes to build a test facility in Ingleside, Texas. This Alliance includes: the University of Houston; the Texas General Land Office; Texas Workforce Commission; Texas State Energy Conservation Office; Texas A&M University; Texas Tech University; University of Texas–Austin; West Texas A&M University; Montana State University; Stanford University; New Mexico State University; Old Dominion University; the Houston Advanced Research Center; BP; DOW; Huntsman; and Shell Wind. 

Sen. Cornyn serves on the Armed Services, Judiciary and Budget Committees. In addition, he is Vice Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference and the Senate Select Committee on Ethics. He serves as the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee’s Immigration, Border Security and Refugees subcommittee and the Armed Services Committee’s Airland subcommittee. He served previously as Texas Attorney General, Texas Supreme Court Justice, and Bexar County District Judge.