Obama
An inconsistent “buy American” policy
Wednesday, March 10th, 2010
Last week we had the fortunate timing of blogging about the value of good home insulation on the same day that President Obama renewed his emphasis on this important but often overlooked energy saving measure when he called on Congress to pass a law that would give rebates to consumers who invested in insulation or other efficient energy equipment.
The announcement came with one of the most memorable sound bytes of the Obama Presidency to date: “It’s hard to import windows from China,” the President said, touting the benefits of the rebates in not just saving consumers on their energy bills but also creating jobs here at home.
Unfortunately, it was not just a sound byte, but also an opening for critics to take a look at our national energy policy and ask just how well it has worked to create domestic jobs in the energy sector. While we applaud any program that will boost domestic production of windows, water heaters and the like, we have to wonder if HomeStar is a bit of a red herring, used to distract attention from all the other areas of the energy sector where business is moving overseas.
Consider:
–Wind turbines. As the U.S. derives growing amounts of its power supply from wind, a disturbingly large number of the wind turbines we use are made in China. A large portion of stimulus funds from last year’s Recovery Act have gone toward building wind farms, but investigations have found the vast majority of wind turbines are made in China.
–Solar panels. The New York Times reports that one single Chinese solar panel maker captured nearly a third of the California market last year, while collectively, Chinese solar panel makers more than doubled their share of the California market over the course of 2009. As the American solar business grew, so too grew China’s stake in it.
–Oil. America’s dependence on foreign oil – in 2008 we imported 57% of all the petroleum we consumed — is a longstanding problem, that is arguably so entrenched that it would take a long time to reverse, even with the best intentions. But even judging on the basis of good intentions, there has been little action to support the domestic oil industry. Over the past year, CEA has tracked a pattern of roadblocks, red tape and unnecessary delays that have blocked some promising and environmentally responsible drilling and exploration projects from getting off the ground. Fewer acres were leased for on- and offshore drilling last year than in any previous year.
Oh, and let’s not forget —
–Windows. This little exercise got us curious about the claim that it’s hard to import windows from China. We’re not yet sure if windows are a major export for China, but it wasn’t hard to find some Chinese windows available for export. It should come as no surprise that a global exporter as large as China would find a way to safely export breakable glass. As long as we here in the U.S. discuss the very serious matter of international trade on such a simplistic level (“of course, you wouldn’t ship glass all the way from China”) we’re bound to adopt feel-good policies over those that really make a difference.
Tags: American energy, China, domestic energy, energy efficiency, energy saving, home insulation, homestar, Made in China, Obama, Recovery Act, solar energy, solar farms, wind energy, wind farms, windows
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Washington, offshore drilling, and you
Monday, February 15th, 2010
In his State of the Union address last month, President Obama got a lot of people excited when he mentioned that it was time to “make tough choices on offshore drilling” in a sentence that initially seemed to suggest he was open to considering some new projects. That sense of hope may be short-lived, however, when you examine all of the recent decisions by the Administration that indicate a reluctance to fully encourage access to our domestic resources. All you had to do was look at the current Interior Department’s track record to conclude that, much like previous Administrations, it has been more focused on setting up barriers than to helping responsible drilling proceed.
This blog argues that, far from suggesting he might be open to more drilling on the country’s Outer Continental Shelf, Obama may have meant the exact opposite:
“Maybe by ‘tough choices’ (the President) meant deciding not to open up the OCS for more exploration. That’s exactly what Interior Secretary Ken Salazar has been doing for the last year.”
CEA has repeatedly highlighted past and present Interior Departments’ uses of stall tactics and red tape that has resulted in a historically low number of lease sales for oil and gas development, which, in turn, leads to reduced revenues for the federal government, fewer jobs and a worsening economy.
But we are also doing more than just keeping track of what has been going on in Washington for the past decade. By rallying support for responsible drilling onshore and off, as well as advancing expanded use of alternative energy, we’ve made considerable progress against opponents who are often more vocal and visible than we are. And by encouraging our company members and individual supporters to make their voices heard in various letter writing campaigns to Interior Secretary Salazar and others, we’ve demonstrated that a majority of Americans are on our side.
The Wall Street Journal recently reached the same conclusion, reporting that public comments supported expanded offshore drilling by a margin of two-to-one.
We have to believe this groundswell of support means that hope is not lost and that we must continue to work with the Administration on ways to improve our national energy policy. Obama might not have meant that he’d support more drilling when he alluded to the “tough decisions” that awaited him. But with a growing demand for more domestically-produced power, for more jobs and for a swifter economic recovery, it is time that we ask our leaders in Washington to review our national energy policy and listen more closely to what we have to say. We all need to work together to redouble our efforts and get the word out about the urgent need for responsible domestic energy production.
Tags: administration, balanced energy, domestic resources, Obama, offshore drilling, oil and gas
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CEA: Interior’s Delay on VA Offshore Energy Exploration Could Cost Jobs, Econ. Growth
Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010
Consumer group says safe, responsible offshore energy exploration presents “tremendous economic opportunity”
HOUSTON – January 27, 2010 The Interior Department will not proceed with a long-scheduled offshore energy lease sale in areas 50 miles and beyond the coast of Virginia either this year or next, Reuters reports — despite a request from Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell that commonsense efforts be made right now to ensure that work can finally begin. Following the revelation today from the Department’s Minerals Management Service (MMS), Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA) president David Holt issued the following statement:
“When the governor of the commonwealth of Virginia asks the federal government to partner with his administration in an effort to convert the abundant reserves of energy off his shores into jobs, revenue and energy security for Virginians, you’d hope to see a sensible process move forward. If news today out of MMS is any indication, the federal government appears ready to delay that critical work for at least another year, meaning additional delays in creating jobs, reducing energy costs and getting the U.S. economy moving again.
The Administration should do more to show that it recognizes the tremendous economic opportunity that safe and responsible offshore energy exploration presents to the citizens of Virginia, and the nation at large.
“We’re talking about thousands of high-wage jobs here, and billions in annual revenue that can be raised without imposing a single new tax. When it comes to promoting alternative energy resources offshore, the Administration has compiled an impressive record – and we applaud those efforts. This announcement signals that the Administration may not be looking to maximize our nation’s enormous oil and gas potential offshore with the same enthusiasm. Those who support a balanced, commonsense national energy strategy look forward to continuing to work with the Administration to create jobs, improve our national and energy security and responsibly allow access to our abundant resources.”
NOTE: Identified by the Interior Department as an area for future lease in 2008, the Virginia lease sale, scheduled currently to take place in 2011, has been delayed for at least another year, according to reports.
Late last year, then-Gov.-elect Bob McDonnell of Virginia (now formally the governor) wrote Secretary Salazar a letter suggesting that “[a]ny effort to remove or delay Virginia’s participation in the lease sale would significantly hamper our efforts to create jobs, eliminate much-needed new revenue, and undermine support for President Obama’s stated commitment to make the United States more energy secure.”
Tags: balanced energy, domestic energy, energy policy, Obama, oil and gas, Reuters, VA Offshore, Virginia offshore
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A pattern of delays
Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010
Is the Interior Department really giving a fair and balanced review of the properties up for consideration for oil and gas leasing? Or, as the data we posted earlier this week suggest, is it engaged in a pattern of blocking any progress with repeated delays and endless red tape?
In support of the second theory, you might want to submit the recent delays to allow drilling off the coast of Virginia as Exhibit A. Except that there have been so many other instances of stalling tactics all around the country, that it’s getting hard to count them all. Far from an isolated example of the country’s Interior Department blocking responsible development of natural resources, this latest delay — in what would have been the first Atlantic coast drilling project to get underway since the ban ended in 1998 – suggests more of the same. Ban or no ban, lots of projects are still being blocked.
You don’t necessarily think Big Oil when you think of the state of Virginia. But like so many states all around the country, Virginia’s estimated reserves are substantial. The three million acre swath located 50 miles offshore that was to have been leased next year, holds an estimated 130 million barrels of oil and 1.14 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.
Now, the Interior Department says any lease sales will be delayed until at least 2012, and may not go forward at all.
Tags: American energy, domestic production, Interior Department, Obama, offshore resources, offshore Virginia, oil and gas, virginia
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Consumer Energy Alliance Supports Expanded Domestic Nuclear Power to Create Jobs and Increase National Energy Security
Thursday, October 29th, 2009
HOUSTON – October 28, 2009 Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA) announced its support for a comprehensive set of policy initiatives proposed by the nuclear energy industry that aim to ensure the necessary expansion of nuclear energy and provide affordable energy to consumers.
In particular, CEA actively supports policies important to the nuclear energy industry, especially as they relate to financing support and efficient licensing for new nuclear facilities.
“CEA remains committed to advancing nuclear energy and other clean energy technologies that help to create thousands of new jobs and provide substantial benefits to consumers, the economy and the environment, while strengthening national energy security,” said CEA President David Holt.
“As the legislative debate over energy policy moves forward, ensuring a balanced, thoughtful approach – both now and into the future – is vitally important. Nuclear, as well as, oil, natural gas, wind, solar, hydro, and biomass must all play a role in meeting our energy needs,” said Holt.
Tags: affordable energy, CEA, Consumer Energy Alliance, domestic energy, nuclear energy, Obama
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CEA November 2009 Newsletter
Wednesday, October 28th, 2009
CEA Newsletter
Issue 32
Message from CEA President David Holt
As we prepare for the upcoming winter season and the excitement of celebrating holidays with family and friends, increased heating bills and energy concerns are also on the minds of many Americans. The higher energy costs associated with cooler temperatures highlight the need for a balanced American energy policy which focuses on reasonable and responsible use of all resources, including traditional and alternative.
One significant resource of American energy is our nation’s offshore area. The Obama Administration recently established the Ocean Policy Task Force to propose policies for the management of our oceans and coasts, as well as the resources and activities within those waters.
While the Task Force is rightly concerned with the environmental stewardship of our oceans and coasts, they released an Interim Report that proposes a system of oceans governance that could significantly impact our nation’s ability to safely develop its own offshore energy, including oil, natural gas and renewable energy.
In September, the Obama Administration closed its public comment period on a new Five Year Program to oversee offshore energy leasing. The Interim Report proposes policies that could undermine such a program and hurt consumers in the long-run.
We must urge President Obama and his Task Force to issue an oceans governance policy that successfully recognizes the importance of striking a balance between the protection of our oceans and their economic uses, particularly where responsible energy production is concerned.
Join CEA in this effort to secure a balanced approach to regulation of America’s offshore and ocean resources. Visit CEA’s website to learn more and participate in this important effort.
Thank you for being part of CEA’s valued membership and participating in our efforts to empower America.
David Holt
President
Ensure Balanced Approach to America’s Offshore & Ocean Resources
To help ensure a balanced oceans policy that will secure our energy and economic future, please tell President Obama and the Ocean Policy Task Force today that you support the development of a policy that does not actively prohibit the safe and responsible development of our offshore energy resources. Send in your comments today!
Help Defeat Efforts to Ban North American Energy and Increase Prices at the Pump!
The Low-Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) is being sold to the American public as a way to blend transportation fuels with low-carbon alternatives so that tailpipe CO2 emissions can be reduced. But the fact is that affordable and reliable lower-carbon fuel options are not yet available. As a result, an LCFS simply will increase the cost of diesel fuel and gasoline and will place certain domestic supplies of transportation fuels off limits. Increasing the cost of transportation fuel and U.S. dependence upon foreign sources of petroleum is simply unsound energy policy.
Join our effort to defeat these measures, which would put an economic stranglehold on America and leave U.S. consumers stuck with higher prices at the pump. Send in your comments today!
CEA Blog: Lawmakers voice concern over Ocean Policy Task Force
Check out CEA’s recent blog entry about President Obama’s Ocean Policy Task Force and concerns that it would block American offshore oil development and impose restrictions that would cost Americans jobs. Join the conversation at CEA’s website. Read blog…
Consumer Corner: Prepare To Cut Costs This Winter!
As you prepare your home for colder temperatures this winter season, use a few of these easy, energy-efficient tips from Energy Star and the U.S. Department of Energy to save both energy and money.
- Set the thermostat comfortably low to save big – for instance, resetting your temperature from 72 degrees to 65 will save 10 percent on your heating bill.
- Save on hot water by setting your electric water heater temperature to 120 degrees Fahrenheit and taking shorter showers.
- Open window coverings during the day to allow the sun’s warmth in and close them at night to keep the chill out.
- Make sure your home is leak-free – check all the nooks and crannies around windows, doors, plumbing and more.
- Insulate your hot water heater and hot water pipes to prevent heat loss.
- Install storm windows to reduce heat loss by 25 to 50 percent.
- Keep your heating equipment in tip-top shape and replace all filters regularly.
President Announces Multi-Billion Dollar Investment in Smart Energy Grid
President Obama recently announced plans and funding of a more efficient, reliable and stronger modern energy smart grid to meet American electricity needs. Read article…
Arizona’s First Commercial-Scale Wind Energy Development Keynoted by Salazar
Noting America’s need to reduce its “dangerous dependence on foreign oil,” Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar recently participated in a dedication ceremony for a large wind energy project in Arizona. Read article…
American Association of Petroleum Geologists: Informing Policy with Science
By David Curtiss
The American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) is the world’s largest scientific and professional geological association, with more than 34,000 members in 116 countries. Founded in 1917 and headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma, AAPG is not a trade association. We do not represent the petroleum industry. Rather we represent the science and profession of petroleum geology. Our members include professionals active in industry, government, and academia. They are practitioners of the science.
AAPG’s purpose is to foster the spirit of scientific research among its members and to advance the science of geology, particularly as it relates to petroleum, natural gas, other subsurface fluids, mineral resources, and the environment. To achieve these goals, AAPG publishes the Bulletin, a juried monthly geologic science journal and the Explorer, a monthly newspaper with upstream information news; sponsors continuing education schools, seminars, and field trips; holds annual scientific meetings both in the U.S. and internationally; publishes specific geologic books and materials; and provides geologic information to the general public.
The Association has three divisions. The Division of Professional Affairs certifies petroleum geologists, petroleum geophysicists, and coal geologists. It also enforces the code of ethics that AAPG members agree to uphold. The Division of Environmental Geosciences uses geologic knowledge to solve environmental challenges, and publishes Environmental Geosciences, a juried quarterly geologic science journal. The Energy and Minerals Division focuses on energy minerals (e.g., coal and uranium), geothermal, hydrates, and unconventional petroleum resources.
Four years ago, AAPG opened the Geoscience & Energy Office in Washington, DC (GEO-DC) to bring the collective scientific expertise of AAPG members to policy makers. Our objective is to provide the scientific understanding that enables policy makers to craft more informed laws and regulations.
For example, for the Energy 101 briefing at the CEA October meeting in Washington, D.C., my colleague Don Juckett focused on a key point that is often misunderstood in policy circles: the difference between a petroleum resource and petroleum reserves. In brief, a petroleum resource denotes the total endowment of hydrocarbons in a particular exploration area or geologic basin. It is an estimated amount based on geologic knowledge and conditions, and includes both discovered and undiscovered hydrocarbons.
A petroleum reserve is a more narrowly defined estimate of hydrocarbons, including geologic, engineering, and economic factors. For publicly traded companies the definitions of reserves are set forth by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Reserves are discovered hydrocarbons that can be produced at a given price (or price range) – it is an oil company’s inventory in storage. When you produce oil or natural gas, you are pumping and selling from your reserves.
Converting an oil and natural gas resource into an oil and natural gas reserve takes three things: 1. Access to the resource, which in the U.S. is located either on public or private lands both onshore and offshore; 2. Technology that improves our ability to find and produce oil and natural gas; and 3. Investment climate conducive to the significant capital expenditures needed to produce oil and natural gas and deliver it to consumers.
As we speak to policy makers we spend a lot of time focusing on these issues – access, research and development, and tax reform – as well as other policy and regulatory issues.
Another topic we have been working on is the dramatic energy workforce shortage facing the United States and the world in the next decade. We are talking about everyone, from petroleum geologists and geophysicists and electrical power line workers, to nuclear engineers and the skilled trades working in energy. No part of the energy sector, including the government and regulatory arena, is immune from the dramatic “graying” of the workforce. This is an issue where the Consumer Energy Alliance has provided significant leadership since its inception.
For more information about AAPG, the issues we are working on, or if you have a question about the science of finding oil and natural gas please contact David Curtiss at 202-684-8225 or dcurtiss@aapg.org.
Affiliate Spotlight: Air Conditioning Contractors of America
For more than 40 years, the Air Conditioning Contractors of America has served the nationwide educational, policy, and technical interests of the small businesses who design, install, and maintain indoor environmental systems.
“ACCA members characterize the extent of America’s economic diversity. The typical ACCA contractor member employs less than 10 people, but many of our members have hundreds of workers. ACCA protects the interests of the small business residential and commercial contractors of the HVACR industry,” says Vice President of Government Relations Charlie McCrudden.
Affordable and reliable energy sources help control the fluctuation of fuel prices and allow the small business contractors of the HVACR industry to grow their businesses.
“The typical ACCA member has a fleet of vehicles used to service and install HVACR systems in homes and buildings. Fuel expenses represent a significant cost of doing business as a service contractor,” explains McCrudden.
ACCA has a longstanding history of supporting efforts to encourage energy efficiency in residential and commercial buildings though increased building performance.
“Every day, thousands of ACCA members help homeowners and building managers realize the comfort and cost benefits of energy efficient heating, ventilation, and air conditioning, (HVAC) equipment. ACCA members would like to see more incentives for building owners and homeowners to reach for higher efficiency HVACR appliances. At the same time, ACCA members would like to see more access to affordable energy sources so that normal market conditions can keep fuel prices low,” he emphasizes.
As a member of Consumer Energy Alliance, ACCA’s goal is to work with other stakeholders to ensure access to energy at reasonable prices.
“ACCA is a member of CEA because the collective voice of the Alliance membership is louder than the individual organizations combined,” McCrudden notes. “As a trade association representing small business contractors who rely on their fleet vehicles, ACCA is very concerned about access to energy and its effect on price.”
For more information on Air Conditioning Contractors of America, visit www.acca.org.
Tags: AAPG, ACCA, air conditioning contractors of america, American Association of Petroleum Geologists, CEA, Consumer Energy Alliance, LCFS, Obama, ocean policy task force, oceans, ocs, offshore energy
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Lawmakers voice concern over Ocean Policy Task Force
Wednesday, October 28th, 2009
Word seems to be getting out about President Obama’s Ocean Policy Task Force and the need for all groups that use the oceans to be included in the discussion. Some 69 members of the House of Representatives have sent a letter to the task force, expressing concern that it could set in place new policies that would block offshore oil development and impose other restrictions that could cost American jobs.
As Doc Hastings, the representative from Washington state put it, “We can protect our oceans without inflicting more economic damage in the middle of a serious recession.”
CEA, which has in the past successfully organized letter-writing campaigns to the Interior Department over contested offshore drilling leases, more recently rallied our members and supporters to weigh in on the Ocean Policy Task Force, and its initial report that proposed a new system of governance of the country’s Great Lakes and coastal areas.
It seems a lot of people agree that this is a very complex and sensitive matter that deserves the input of many parties before any new policy is established.
In recent months CEA has been repeatedly pleased, not just by our members’ efforts to engage in this challenging grassroots work, but also in the results that we’ve achieved. Last month, our letter writers arguing in favor of responsible offshore drilling, out-wrote the other side.
What’s gratifying about the strong response to the Ocean Policy Task Force is that it is so far-reaching. Objections have poured in from places ranging from San Francisco to Louisiana, and representing industries from oil to wind power to fishing. As our own blog-bot (see blog from October 15) said, we all want to do what’s right to protect the oceans. But clearly a lot of people are concerned about doing the right thing in the right way. Keep up the good work!
Tags: CEA, Consumer Energy Alliance, energy, Obama, oceans policy task force
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CEA to EPW: Addition of LCFS to Climate Bill Would “Erode” U.S. Security
Monday, October 19th, 2009
As Senate cap-and-trade proponents shift message campaign to focus on “national security,” CEA reminds lawmakers that a Low-Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) would make America less secure
HOUSTON – With the introduction last week of climate legislation in the Senate, and confirmation this week that hearings on the bill will commence later this month, Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA) president David Holt sent a letter to the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee today, asking the members of the panel to fully consider the economic and security-related consequences of adding a Low-Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) provision to the text.
Holt issued the following statement after formally sending the letter to Chairman Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Ranking Member James Inhofe (R-Okla.), and the remaining 11 Democrats and six Republicans on the committee:
“As proponents of cap-and-trade continue to make a collective and concerted effort to emphasize the plan’s impact on American security, it’s important they know the inclusion of an LCFS title in this bill would turn those messaging points on their head. Fundamentally, an LCFS would initiate a unilateral ban on accessing secure, affordable energy supplies available on our continent – all without doing a thing to address carbon emissions. The letter we sent to the committee today makes that point clear, and more thoroughly describes the extent to which America’s security would be eroded if an LCFS is signed into law.”
The text of the letter is copied below. An electronic version of it can be accessed here.
October 14, 2009
Dear Chairman Boxer and Ranking Member Inhofe,
With the release last week of the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act, a bill co-authored by you, Chairman Boxer, and U.S. Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), your panel will soon be called upon to take the lead in crafting a final product that, with hope and much hard work, finds a way to meet the existing and growing energy needs of our country while advancing the imperative of preserving and enhancing the environment in which we live.
While not included in the base text of the legislation as introduced, the future adoption of a policy proposal known as the Low-Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) would cast serious doubt on the bill’s ability to meet these core objectives. That’s because an LCFS would represent, and in fact directly initiate, a de facto ban on some of the most secure and affordable sources of energy available to us in our hemisphere, all while doing nothing to rein in, or even keep static, the rate at which global greenhouse gases are emitted into the atmosphere.
Much attention has been paid to the question of how an economy-wide cap on carbon emissions might impact America’s long-term security, a consideration that has taken on added emphasis by the leadership role that Sen. Kerry, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, has adopted as this legislation has proceeded. The inclusion of an LCFS title to this legislation would represent a clear and categorical blow to that security, forcing American consumers to turn away sources of secure, affordable energy in favor of foreign energy imports from some of the least stable regions of the world.
Closer to home, the story of how an LCFS would impact the economic well-being of American consumers and the states in which they live isn’t much better. To be sure, some states across this nation, mostly along our coasts, may be able to more easily adapt than others to a policy that insists upon restricted access to secure North American energy supplies. But for states whose entire economic model is founded upon the availability of secure, affordable and reliable forms of energy from Canada and Mexico – the precise forms targeted for elimination under an LCFS – a policy that seeks to limit the type and amount of energy they’re allowed to permit entry each day could leave these states with few options.
Ninety-three percent of the oil that the state of Montana uses each day comes from Canada; greater than 80 percent of Minnesota’s energy comes from there as well; Illinois imports more than half of its oil from Canada; and in Michigan, a state with a 15 percent unemployment rate, 63 percent of its energy supply is tied directly to its neighbor to the north. Cut-off that supply, and you effectively cut-off thousands of high-wage jobs while imposing extraordinary upward pressure on prices at the pump – all without taking any meaningful steps to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions.
It is legitimate to ask how that can be possible – how a plan that restricts the amount of Canadian energy allowed to cross our border does not reduce, at least by a corresponding amount, the volume of carbon dioxide cast into the atmosphere.
The answer isn’t located in Canada, or in Mexico, or even in the United States. The answer is found in China. Unwilling to risk the chance of Congress instituting a de facto ban on its energy exports via an LCFS, our friends in Canada recently invited our competitors from China to make a major investment in the Albertan oil sands. The arrangement sets up the possibility, indeed the likelihood, that secure, affordable energy resources previously destined for U.S. markets will be directed to Asia instead – resulting in more, not less, carbon emissions all while casting America’s present position of security in even greater doubt.
Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA), with its 125 affiliates and grassroots membership of more than 250,000 supporters, has not yet taken a formal position on the Kerry-Boxer bill, a stance we believe is prudent given the legislation’s continued evolution and the understandably modest portfolio of analysis that has been assembled detailing its potential economy-wide impacts.
But on LCFS, allow me to make our position plain: CEA categorically opposes a plan that would in any way limit or otherwise restrict reasonable access to secure sources of energy on our continent. An LCFS endeavors to do precisely this. We thank you for your willingness to consider this position as you begin the important work for our country that lies ahead.
Sincerely,
David Holt
President
Consumer Energy Alliance
CC: Full Membership of Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
Tags: cap-and-trade, cap-and-trade legislation, Capitol Hill, CEA, Consumer Energy Alliance, national security, Obama
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Wind industry to Obama: Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water
Wednesday, October 14th, 2009
Last week we offered a general overview of the Obama administration’s new Ocean Policy Task Force and expressed our concerns that this well-intentioned effort to help the world’s oceans thrive could result in a set of arbitrary restrictions on different industries that depend on oceans and coastal waters. This week, we direct you to the concerns of the American Wind Energy Association, which has done a good job of articulating how easily a well-intentioned plan may veer of course.
You can read AWEA’s full, 14-page response to the Task Force’s initial report here. Essentially, while the wind energy industry fully supports efforts to improve the health of the world’s oceans, it worries that imposing arbitrary limits to industrial activity in offshore waters (and the windy skies above them) could choke off efforts to expand wind power in the U.S. at the very point that the industry is gaining widespread support.
Wind and oil have a lot in common. They are both major sources of power, they have both identified offshore waters as some of the areas that offer the most potential, and they have both encountered resistance from a broad array of groups that stand under an “environmentalist” label, but often have no bigger concerns than that an oil rig or a wind mill on the horizon ruins the view. Which does seem to beg the question: Does a solar panel ruin the “view” of a house? And why do we so often object to images that represent the responsible harnessing of our natural resources?
But anyway, the wind sector, like the oil sector, has watched in frustration as other countries allow responsible use onshore and off, while progress here at home is put on hold.
“For offshore wind to make a significant contribution,” AWEA wrote in its formal response to the Ocean Policy Task Force, “the process of permitting and building the first generation projects of U.S. offshore wind farms as well as developing the needed supply chain and industry-specific infrastructure must get underway.”
The movement toward achieving a balanced domestic power industry and reducing our dependence on foreign oil has seen enough delay. Please continue to make your voice heard to ensure that the Ocean Policy Task Force does not lead to further setbacks. Both the oil sector and the wind sector have made a lot of progress in recent months. We need to keep the momentum going.
Tags: balanced energy policy, CEA, Consumer Energy Alliance, domestic energy, Obama, oceans, oil, water, wind, wind sector
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Silent majorities and dressing for success
Thursday, September 24th, 2009
You might have seen some news coverage lately about protesters dressed in cute salmon costumes and even cuter polar bear costumes, who delivered with much ceremony, bags of letters to the Interior Department in Washington D.C. that argued against new offshore drilling in the U.S. By the protesters’ own count, 250,000 letters, postcards, and whatnot were delivered.
There was another story that went largely unreported: The Interior Department received an even larger number of letters supporting responsible exploration and production. For the record, more than 360,000 Americans have sent letters of the pro-responsible drilling variety to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar over the past six months. To date, these letters account for more than 60 percent of the comments received by Interior.
That’s a significant margin, and all the more so when you consider the nature of the debate. Let’s face it: In the court of public opinion, oil often faces an uphill battle. It’s easy to call yourself an environmentalist and jump on an anti-oil bandwagon without really knowing all the facts. It can take more time and work to consider the country’s significant energy needs and develop an informed stance on how we meet them.
So first of all, Thank You! For months, CEA has been working on this blog and elsewhere to organize support for responsible offshore drilling. The matter has been in legal limbo since earlier this year, when lawmakers enacted a series of barriers that effectively reversed President Bush’s move to lift an 18-year ban on offshore drilling on most of the country’s outer continental shelf.
In recent months, supporters of producing oil domestically and reducing the country’s dependence on foreign oil have won a few battles, but a larger war on this matter wages. CEA is heartened by the volume of letters sent in support of our position. It underscores not just that there is a silent majority out there, but that a lot of people care deeply about energy independence.
So then, why is it that majority is so often a silent one to the media? Because polar bears do have a lot of appeal. No matter if polar bears are not really at the core of this debate. No matter if they were just polar bear costumes. No matter if those protesters enjoying an early Halloween drove all the way to Washington in cars that run on oil. They play well on TV.
You can entertain ways that our side might dress for comparable success, or comparable media attention, but we haven’t come up with anything really catchy yet. Perhaps this is because the image of responsible oil production and energy independence is really just the image of everyday people going about their business with a little more ease and a little less strain. It’s the image of the family that is not forced to cut back on food to pay for heating oil, of the worker who doesn’t pay excessive amounts of his paycheck on his commute, of the trucker who isn’t taken into the red by filling up at the pump.
If any readers out there can think of an image that might overshadow the salmon costume in Washington, please let us know. Until then, we hope you’ll continue the quiet battle for the attention of our lawmakers. Know that your voices are being heard, even if your attire goes unnoticed.
Tags: CEA, CEA Energy Grass Roots, Consumer Energy Alliance, Consumer Energy Issues, Department of the Interior, energy, energy policy, energy prices, energy security, energy supply, gas, Obama, ocs, offshore, oil, Secretary Salazar
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CEA: One-Year Anniversary of the Presidential OCS Ban Removal Should Prompt Efforts to Expand American Energy Production, Reduce Consumer Costs
Tuesday, July 14th, 2009
WASHINGTON – July 14, 2009 Today marks the first anniversary of the lifting of the 18-year old presidential moratorium on domestic offshore energy production by President Bush. The Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA), a non-profit energy consumer advocacy group, continues to support a national energy policy that fully leverages America’s abundant offshore energy resources into new jobs, revenue and security for American energy consumers. Unfortunately, even as that and other bans have been retired over the past year, the American people are no closer to accessing those vital reserves than they were last July.
Andrew Browning, vice president of CEA, issued the following statement:
“We all recognize that expanding the use of alternative energy through greater use of wind, solar, biomass, nuclear and other sources is the ultimate goal. But while we continue to build that bridge to the future, access to our abundant oil and natural gas resources must be realized. Ensuring energy resources that are secure and affordable has long been the hallmark of a strong economy, and it’s an absolute necessity for one struggling to find its way back there. Last year, efforts were made in Congress and the administration to ensure that access would be available in the future – a key plank, but just one plank, in a broader energy platform for the future. Regrettably, even as the policy hurdles have been lifted on this front, practical hurdles between American consumers and the energy they need persist.
“Curbing our demand, while increasing our supplies – especially conventional energy resources along the Outer Continental Shelf – will reduce our dependence on foreign, and unstable regions of the world to keep our economy moving. American families and small businesses deserve policies from Washington that will actually deliver affordable, efficient, and reliable energy. Opening up the OCS immediately for exploration is a step in that direction, and that’s why Consumer Energy Alliance is proud to be part of the fight.”
NOTE: CEA joined more than a dozen other consumer-focused and pro-energy groups in a letter to the president earlier this week, calling for increased domestic offshore energy exploration and production. Click HERE to view this letter.
Tags: american, ban removal, bush, CEA, consumer, Consumer Energy Alliance, energy, moratorium, Obama, ocs
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Call to action: CEA needs your help in securing greater supplies of offshore oil & gas!
Friday, July 10th, 2009
The country’s extreme dependence on foreign fuel is all the more stunning when you consider the abundance of untapped oil and natural gas that lies within our borders and below our coastal waters.
The federal government estimates conservatively that there are 288 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and 52 billion barrels of oil in the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). If those kinds of numbers make you glaze over, here’s a better visual: The estimated reserves would provide enough gasoline for 132 million cars and heating oil for 54 million homes for 15 years along with enough natural gas to heat 72 million homes for 60 years.
Alternatively, it could supply current industrial and commercial needs for 28 years, or all of the country’s electricity generating needs for 53 years. That’s a lot of fuel that wouldn’t have to be shipped here from somewhere else.
And none of that includes Alaska. The federal government estimates that the waters off Alaska hold about 27 billion barrels of oil and 132 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.
This is oil and gas the country badly needs. Even under the most aggressive projections for the development of alternative energy sources, U.S. demand for oil and natural gas is expected to continue to grow for at least 20 years.
The process of selling offshore leases is a complex matter with a complex history that is outlined in more detail on our home page. The key point to remember, however, is that this is a critical time for determining the country’s energy development policy for years to come, and potentially reversing a moratorium on new offshore leasing that has been in place since 1983.
CEA’s members understand that a strong and steady supply of domestic oil will not only help reduce oil price volatility; it will support jobs and all the multiple industries that run on oil, while providing relief to families and small businesses. Now we need your help in making sure that message is heard loud and clear.
The Call to Action on our Web site outlines why more oil friendly policies are critical to our economy, and explains how you can help by writing to the Obama administration. Feel free to use the attached text, or to write in your own words about what greater domestic energy production would mean to you, your business and your community.
And please write soon. The public comments period closes in September.
Tags: Add new tag, CEA, CEA Energy Grass Roots, congress, Consumer Energy Alliance, Department of the Interior, energy, energy independence, energy policy, energy prices, energy supply, exploration, gas, government, MMS, natural gas, Obama, ocs, offshore, oil, Secretary Salazar, the Consumer Energy Alliance
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NAM Urges Congress to Act Expeditiously to Approve U.S./UAE “123 Agreement”: Vargo Says Agreement Will Create U.S. Jobs
Friday, May 22nd, 2009
Washington, D.C., May 21, 2009 – National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) Vice President for International Economic Affairs Frank Vargo today issued the following statement in response to the Obama Administration’s announcement that it will soon formally submit the U.S./UAE Agreement on Commercial Nuclear Technology to Congress:This U.S./UAE Agreement, formally called the “123 Agreement on Commercial Nuclear Technology,” represents the gold standard across the board in the nuclear cooperation field, and clearly merits approval by Congress. This agreement will provide the legal basis for U.S. companies, large and small, to engage fully with Emirati counterparts, and to compete in the bidding process to supply U.S. goods and services to the nuclear power industry in the UAE.
The UAE has very ambitious plans to invest upwards of $40 billion to develop nuclear power and has demonstrated a clear commitment to the highest standards of safety, environmental protection, and nuclear non-proliferation. Until the formal agreement enters into full legal force, however, U.S. firms cannot move forward on contracts or other key steps with the Emirati authorities.
U.S. manufacturers and suppliers in the nuclear industry have the best products, the best workers, and the best technology. They are well positioned to compete aggressively for this huge commercial opportunity in the UAE’s ambitious nuclear power development program. Further, this agreement includes the strongest-ever non-proliferation commitments. Nuclear power provides clean, safe, and reliable technology.
Top suppliers from around the world are lining up to compete for contracts under this program. It is critical, especially in the current economic environment, that U.S. manufacturers as well as service providers be positioned to compete for this business. We urge the U.S. government to move forward expeditiously. Delay now could cost U.S. firms, workers, and communities.
Tags: Commercial Nuclear Technology, NAM, National Association of Manufacturers, Obama, UAE
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Small businesses rising to the challenge
Wednesday, May 20th, 2009
One of the harder tasks President Obama has faced in his young presidency has been offering college graduates a reason for hope as they are let loose into the most challenging job market of their lives. But the President managed to do just that, telling the Class of ‘09 last week – convincingly – that they were privileged to be graduating in such troubled times.
“It’s moments like these that force us to try harder, to dig deeper, and to discover gifts we never knew we had – to find the greatness that lies within us.” Obama told the graduating class at the University of Arizona.
This same message of finding greatness in the face of seemingly insurmountable hurdles applies to all the small businesses in the country, who today find themselves struggling not just against the tough economy, but a set of rules that too often seem to favor major corporations. Small businesses have long complained that disproportionate amounts of their budgets are consumed by basic operating expenses from health care and energy costs to taxes. Now, with new cap-and-trade proposals on the table that could essentially make it even more expensive for them to operate, many in the small business community are crying foul, even maintaining that they are left with the policy scraps, after the needs of big corporations and influential labor unions are addressed.
Clearly, many new major policy changes will have to involve a lot of tweaking to ensure that they are administered fairly. And, while the jury is still out on whether something of a level playing field can be achieved for the forthcoming cap-and-trade legislation, there were some encouraging signs this week when Congress came up with a plan to ease the burden on refiners, electric power distributors and some other energy-intensive industries.
But while we’re on the small business topic, it’s worth remembering that so many small businesses continuously manage to thrive even when the rules seem stacked against them.
All around the country, while some businesses are (justifiably) resisting cap-and-trade legislation, many others are making remarkable headway reducing their own emissions, or helping others leave a lighter footprint.
The World’s Largest Laundromat of Berwyn, Illinois started installing solar panels on its roof eight years ago in response to unpredictable energy costs. Today, it says the solar panels are a significant source of its total power and help it keep customer prices low.
Umpqua Bank of Roseburg, Oregon last year launched an eco-banking division to provide additional financial assistance to individuals and small businesses installing alternative energy systems such as solar panels and wind turbines. Tax credits cover some, but not always all of these costs.
And NuRide or Essex, Connecticut has developed way to give commuters financial incentives to car pool, one of the simplest but most commonly overlooked ways to save energy.
These companies and many more like them serve as a reminder that small businesses have a lot going for them, even in the toughest of times: an entrepreneurial spirit that thrives on big challenges and a nimbleness that can help them quickly change course when needed.
That doesn’t mean that small businesses should be left to sink or swim on their own. But the fact that so man of them are pioneering new, more efficient operating models, and doing so in such a tough climate, ought to be celebrated.
Tags: alternative energy, cap-and-trade, cap-and-trade legislation, CEA Energy Grass Roots, Consumer Energy Alliance, consumer energy alliance grass roots, consumer energy alliance grassroots, economy, emissions, energy, energy costs, health care, labor unions, Obama, solar, solar panels, tax credits, wind turbines
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(Part of) the answer is blowing in the wind
Monday, May 18th, 2009
One of the nice things about wind energy being taken more seriously as a promising source of our country’s future electricity needs is that it has the ability to capture the public’s imagination, with images of towering wind turbines dotting our wide open spaces, as well as lots of catchy word plays.
Earlier this month, the American Wind Energy Association annual conference in Chicago generated lots of talk about wind power in the windy city, and about how the answer is blowing in the wind. (The answer to the nation’s energy problems, that is).
Indeed, the record attendance at this year’s AWEA conference suggests that wind power, long dismissed as a cottage industry of Holland or an unrealistic hippie dream, is rapidly gaining momentum. Thanks to advances in wind turbine technology, beneficial tax credits and a renewed interest in reducing the country’s dependence on foreign oil, wind power has become a growth industry that created thousands of jobs last year and moved more homes onto this home-grown source of power that is infinite in supply. The Obama Administration has set a goal of producing 20% of the country’s electricity from wind by the year 2030, and by many accounts this looks like a realistic target.
But just like any industry, the wind power sector runs the risk of suffering setbacks because of the soft economy. Oil tycoon T. Boone Pickens, today one of the most vocal supporters of wind power, has delayed construction of his own massive wind power plant in Texas, while smaller players are suffering from a shortage of investors.
And like the wind itself, the wind power industry does not always move in the same direction. Despite all the factors supporting the industry today, wind power will not be adopted on a broad scale unless it is cost effective against traditional power sources like oil. When oil prices drop, the wind industry is more challenged to demonstrate its value.
So, while producing close to a third of the country’s electricity from power in just about 20 years would be a major, major breakthrough for an industry that has for too long been marginalized, there are a couple of important footnotes to keep in mind.
First, there is a real threat of future economic setbacks that could delay this goal. And second, even if the 30% mark is met or surpassed by 2030, that would leave a whole lot of electricity still needing to come from other sources, not to mention all the planes, trains and automobiles that don’t even run on electricity and can’t be supported by wind.
Which is why any effective energy policy must be an alliance of all different kinds of energy: big and small, new and old, traditional and alternative.
It doesn’t roll off the tongue as nicely as that old Bob Dylan song, but the truth is that only part of the answer is blowing in the wind.
Tags: American Wind Energy Association, CEA, CEA Energy Grass Roots, Consumer Energy Alliance, consumer energy alliance grass roots, jobs, Obama, oil, T. Boone Pickens, tax credits, wind energy, wind turbines
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CEA: New Jersey sends clear message to Interior Secretary; Let us develop our offshore energy resources
Wednesday, April 8th, 2009
ATLANTIC CITY- April 6, 2009 Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA) President David Holt issued the following statement today as a packed meeting room in the Atlantic City Convention Center saw hundreds turn out in support of responsible energy exploration in the outer continental shelf (OCS):
“Secretary Salazar came face to face today with the very people who would benefit most immediately from allowing energy exploration along the OCS,” said Holt. “Responsible offshore energy development will create jobs, generate taxpayer revenue and boost economic activity in New Jersey, and in all the other states that share our abundant energy resource base. By approving a plan to allow offshore oil and natural gas exploration and wind development as part of a comprehensive energy proposal, the Obama Administration can stand with the majority of Americans who understand that developing our abundant resources can help get us out of the current economic crisis.”
According to the federal government, more than 86 billion barrels of oil and 420 trillion cubic feet of natural gas lie undeveloped off our shores in the OCS. That amounts to enough energy to replace 50 years worth of OPEC oil.
A recent report issued by the Interior Department shows that these undeveloped reserves of the OCS represent about 4 times America’s proven reserves of oil and natural gas. The report also underscores the need for more analysis of what is actually available offshore – analysis that is likely to show a great deal more oil and gas available offshore than currently projected.
Before any offshore resources can be explored, the Interior Department must include prospective areas in its “five year plan” for offshore energy development. Today’s hearing in Atlantic City is the first in a series of four public meetings discussing the agency’s plan. Future hearings will take place in New Orleans (April 8), Anchorage (April 14) and San Francisco (April 16).
In addition to strong citizen turn out, public officials and elected leaders also spoke at today’s hearing. One of them was U.S. Rep. Rob Bishop (R-Utah), chairman of the Western Caucus. “If these public hearings do anything at all,” Bishop testified, “I hope they will answer this question: Do we want to continue to grow more dependent on other nations to meet our energy needs, or do we want to do what is necessary to achieve greater control of our economic destiny? It’s time we took the cap off the OCS.”
Former congressman John Peterson (R-Pa.) also made the trip to Atlantic City, reminding the panel that “we are the only country in the developed world to lock up these vital resources away, and thus deny reasonable access to the 300 million Americans who own them.” He added: “I strongly support all types of renewable energy and strong tax incentives for all of us to conserve our energy use. I believe it is equally important that we increase our production of oil and gas to stop the sky rocketing foreign dependence on unstable unfriendly countries that are not now, and may not ever be, our friends.”
Tags: CEA, CEA Energy Grass Roots, Consumer Energy Alliance, consumer energy alliance grass roots, consumer energy alliance grassroots, Department of the Interior, energy, exploration, Interior Department, natural gas, Obama, ocs, offshore energy, oil, OPEC, renewable energy, Secretary Salazar, Western Caucus
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CEA: Obama budget must do more to support all sources of energy
Thursday, February 26th, 2009
HOUSTON – February 26, 2009 David Holt, president of Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA), issued the following statement this afternoon on the energy-related provisions in President Obama’s fiscal year 2010 budget request:
“While the president’s inaugural budget request takes unprecedented steps to promote the development of new and worthwhile alternative energy sources, it also takes unprecedented steps to make producing the affordable, reliable resources we already have more difficult and expensive. The realization of an alternative energy future will not be achieved by making a reliable energy present impossible. My fear is that a number of the provisions in this budget would do precisely that, at precisely the wrong time for struggling consumers and a flagging economy.
“On the question of what our nation needs to do now to ensure an affordable, secure energy future, more than one answer exists. It’s our hope that Congress recognizes that reality, acts on it, and makes sure the final budget reflects the needs and priorities of American energy consumers.”
Consumer Energy Alliance has repeatedly called for policies that support all energy resources. It looks forward to bringing this message to Congress again this year during its annual Energy Day on May 13th.
Tags: alternative energy sources, CEA, CEA Energy Day, CEA Energy Grass Roots, Consumer Energy Alliance, Consumer Energy Alliance Energy Day, consumer energy alliance grass roots, consumer energy alliance grassroots, Consumer Energy Issues, energy, Obama
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CEA Congratulates Salazar on Top Interior Post Nomination
Thursday, January 29th, 2009
HOUSTON – December 17, 2008 Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA) today extended its sincere congratulations to U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar (D-Colo.) on being nominated to serve as our nation’s 50th secretary of the Interior — a key component of the Obama energy team charged with managing one out of every five acres of U.S. land and federal waters off the U.S. coasts. CEA president David Holt today expressed his excitement at the prospect of working with the secretary-designate, along with an eagerness to get that work started on behalf of American energy consumers as soon as he assumes the office.
“Access to affordable energy will be the way out of our current economic downtown, and once there, access to affordable energy will be the way we ensure our economy never looks back,” said Holt. “Rarely in our nation’s history has the secretary of the Interior been issued a charge of this importance or urgency: not only to effectively manage billions of acres of federal land and our offshore waters, but to do it in a way that creates new jobs, generates new wealth, and places access to affordable energy at the center of our efforts to reignite the American economy.
“The nation must grow our economy and produce our own natural resources – whether they be conventional, unconventional or alternative sources,” added Holt. “As the new administration begins to take shape, and more information becomes available on the steps his team will take to secure our energy future, CEA looks forward to working with the new secretary, engaging his staff, and making the case for a commonsense, all of the above approach to delivering reliable and affordable energy to the American people.”
CEA is a non-profit, non-partisan energy consumer group that has long advocated a national energy policy that focuses on creating a diverse portfolio of energy supplies, from wind to solar to biofuels to petroleum and clean-burning natural gas.
With more than 100 affiliated organizations and thousands of consumer-advocates, CEA’s mission is to expand the dialogue between the consuming and energy sectors to improve overall understanding of energy security and the thoughtful development and utilization of energy resources to help create sound energy policy and maintain stable energy prices for consumers.
Tags: alternative sources, biofuels, CEA, CEA Energy Grass Roots, Consumer Energy Alliance, consumer energy alliance grass roots, consumer energy alliance grassroots, Consumer Energy Issues, Department of the Interior, energy, energy policy, natural gas, natural resources, Obama, offshore, oil, petroleum, Secretary Salazar, solar, stable energy, wind
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CEA January 2009 Newsletter
Thursday, January 29th, 2009
Issue 22
From the President
Consumer Energy Alliance is pleased to announce we have redesigned our website to increase our ability to effectively communicate with consumers and promptly deliver letters to members of Congress, the Administration and various regulatory agencies about the importance of balanced national energy policy – ultimately allowing us to be even more responsive to our Affiliate and grassroots members in 2009. You can view the new website at www.consumerenergyalliance.org.
In addition to a brand new look and feel, we have added more energy information and included the capability to post CEA Affiliate energy-related news & presentations. Specifically, the site’s reference library offers users the opportunity to look up useful research links to various government and regulatory websites, information on legislative & White House issues, as well as quick facts for energy consumers. The added news & presentations posting capability allows users to access a broader range of information on issues concerning energy consumers, end-users and producers. Users are also able to respond to calls-to-action, access our newsletters and press releases, as well as download our latest presentations and publications.
While we have all contributed to the national dialogue on energy, it continues to be very important that we educate and mobilize concerned stakeholders to help secure reliable and stable energy solutions – and the economic opportunities that a thoughtful energy policy provides.
CEA hopes this new website will encourage our Affiliate and grassroots members to continue supporting our effort in helping Washington develop a comprehensive energy strategy that properly balances the near-term use of oil and gas resources, the long-term development of alternative energy and enhanced energy efficiency. We ask that you remain an active part of our membership and possibly consider a modest donation to CEA through our website by clicking here.
In the coming months, CEA is looking to build a strong nationwide network of citizen and company supporters. It will be a challenge, but with your support we are confident we can achieve it.
In all, the key to moving our nation forward on energy is to make sure Congress and the next Administration make informed decisions. A strong grassroots effort focused on the thoughtful development and utilization of all of our domestic energy resources will do just that.
We all know that there is no silver bullet to fix today’s energy problems. How we meet our nation’s energy challenges is going to be an ongoing debate for many years and we look forward to working with you to meet those challenges. Your support is critical.
David Holt
President
Support Offshore Oil & Gas Development in Virginia!
The U.S. Minerals Management Service (MMS) is seeking public comments in preparation for its Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) regarding potential energy development offshore Virginia. Comments will be accepted through January 13, 2009.
It is important that the MMS understand that opening up offshore Virginia to responsible energy development will play a critical role in creating a robust national energy policy and securing our energy future.
Support a New Five Year Plan to Develop Offshore Oil & Gas Resources!
A significant domestic supply of energy can be safely and efficiently found right here off of America’s shores. The U.S. Minerals Management Service (MMS) currently administers the considerable oil and natural gas resources contained in our offshore waters and wants to hear from you about offshore oil and gas development.
Opposition to offshore energy development is mounting. We need you to let Washington know you support reasonable accesss to America’s offshore energy resources.
Recent rise in oil prices due to OPEC cuts and tension in the Middle East
Oil prices have risen more than 40% since mid-December due to OPEC’s decision to cut supply and the growing conflict in the Middle East. Experts warn that a continuing rise in prices could hurt American consumers, who are already concerned about jobs and a sagging economy. Read article…
Dispute between Russia and the Ukraine impacts European gas supplies
A dispute over gas supplies between the Russian Federation and Ukraine has shut down heating systems in many parts of central Europe, as the export of Russian gas to the region is halted. Read article…
SEA/VMA Climate Change Forum discusses responsible path forward on carbon regulation
The Southeast Energy Alliance (SEA) and the Virginia Manufacturers Association (VMA) hosted an important Climate Change Forum in Williamsburg, Virginia last month that featured a robust discussion on the climate change debate that will take place in Washington in 2009, the perspectives of stakeholders in the nuclear and natural gas production industries and a keynote address by Senator-Elect Mark Warner (D-VA).
Conducted in conjunction with VMA’s annual Industry Leadership Forum, the joint SEA-VMA event focused on the potential to reduce the costs of climate change regulations by increasing production of domestic natural gas, expanding nuclear generation and eliminating proposals to force all sectors of the economy to purchase carbon emissions credits at auction.
Speakers at the Climate Change Forum included David Holt of Consumer Energy Alliance, David Hudgins of the Old Dominion Electric Cooperative, Jeffry Vorberger of the National Ocean Industries Association, Libby Cheney of Shell, Brydon Ross, a senior aide to Senator Mel Martinez (R-FL), and Virginia Attorney General Bob McDonnell.
Although there has been significant debate on the science and the merits of carbon emissions regulation over the last decade, Congress has failed to either have a serious legislative debate on the issue or pass any meaningful climate change legislation. During the 110th Congress, the Senate debated language sponsored by Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA), John Warner (R-VA) and Joe Lieberman (I-CT), which could have negatively impacted our economy by restricting the use of coal to produce electricity without allowing expanded use of nuclear or natural gas based-generation. However, this legislation was criticized and eventually denied a vote on the Senate floor.
With the new Obama Administration and the new Congress, the likelihood of a major climate change debate – as well as passage of climate change legislation – has never been higher.
As we enter into 2009 in Washington this year, SEA will continue to work with its members and partners to ensure that any proposals to regulate carbon emissions are coupled with responsible policies that will minimize the societal costs of carbon reductions in order to prevent the economic harm likely to come if legislation like the Boxer-Warner-Lieberman bill is resurrected.
Tags: alternative energy, carbon, carbon emissions, CEA, CEA Energy Grass Roots, climate, Climate Change Forum, coal, congress, Consumer Energy Alliance, consumer energy alliance grass roots, consumer energy alliance grassroots, Consumer Energy Issues, domestic, EIS, electricity, energy, energy policy, Environmental Impact Statement, Europe, Five Year Plan, government, Industry Leadership Forum, Minerals Management Service, MMS, National Ocean Industries Association, natural gas, New Five Year Plan to Develop Offshore Oil & Gas Resources, nuclear, Obama, offshore oil, oil, Old Dominion Electric Cooperative, OPEC, Russia, SEA, Southeast Energy Alliance, Ukraine, Virginia Manufacturers Association, VMA
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IPAMS Expresses Concern Over Senate Bill on Energy Security, Climate Change
Wednesday, January 21st, 2009
The Independent Petroleum Association of Mountain States
News Release
Date: January 14, 2008
Contact: Jon Haubert
(303) 623-0987
jhaubert@ipams.org
First Week: Congress Deals Blow to Energy Security, Climate
Passage of S. 22 will impede domestic energy development, hinder goals of increasing energy security and decreasing carbon footprint
(DENVER)- The Independent Petroleum Association of Mountain States (IPAMS) expressed concern over the 111th Congress’ apparent lack of interest in helping President-elect Obama achieve his twin goals of increasing energy security and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
“By further restricting access to the abundant, domestic, and clean natural gas in the Intermountain West, the U.S. Senate is sending a clear message to President-elect Obama and to the American people— ‘We have no interest in increasing energy security and reducing our carbon footprint,” said Marc W. Smith, IPAMS Executive Director.
While most Americans are anxious about the faltering economy and rising unemployment rates, today the Senate moved forward on S. 22, Public Lands Omnibus Bill, which restricts the development of energy resources on federal lands, and puts into place another layer of bureaucracy by creating the National Landscape Conservation System. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) brought the bill to a vote under an obscure rule that circumvented the committee process and did not give new members of Congress the chance to debate or amend the bill. The NLCS is also the subject of a Department of Interior Inspector General investigation into possible illegal coordination between lobbyists for environmental groups and federal officials.
“It is unconscionable to pass a 1,294 page bill just a week after new members of Congress were sworn in,” said Smith. “Clearly there has been no deliberative process or thoughtful consideration of the consequences of this bill.”
“Congress should have taken more time to analyze the impact of this broad-sweeping legislation on domestic energy production before it acted. The Intermountain West is a critical energy supplier to the country, contributing 27% of the nation’s natural gas. America’s dual goal of increasing energy security and reducing greenhouse gas emissions simply cannot be achieved if Congress continues to restrict domestic energy development,” concluded Smith.
Natural gas production on public lands in the Intermountain West will become even more important as President-elect Barack Obama and the 111th Congress seek to fulfill their campaign promises of making our nation less dependent on foreign sources of energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Ninety-seven percent of the natural gas consumed in the U.S. is produced in North America (27 percent of it in the West), and since it emits just over half the CO2 of coal, we will need even more natural gas in order to reduce our carbon footprint in coming years.
S. 22 also creates a whole new Federal lands classification for National Heritage Areas (NHA) that would extend National Park Service jurisdiction beyond national park and monument boundaries, and sets aside the energy-rich Wyoming Range, where enormous supplies of domestic, clean natural gas are located.
“Less than six months ago, Congress wouldn’t have dared restrict domestic energy development. Since then, prices have fallen with reduced world demand and increased supplies of domestic natural gas. Even so, the underlying challenges of energy security remain. Placing even more lands off limits will limit where natural gas, wind, and other clean sources of energy can be produced.”
“It’s important for Congress to remember that natural gas development is a very small and temporary impact on our federal lands. Independent energy producers go above and beyond the literally thousands of environmental regulations now in place to ensure that wildlife and the environment are protected. The energy resources located beneath these lands belong to all of us, and Congress should allow them to be developed for the benefit of all Americans,” concluded Smith.
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The Independent Petroleum Association of Mountain States (IPAMS), founded in 1974, is a non-profit trade association representing more than 400 independent natural gas and oil producers, service and supply companies, banking and financial institutions and industry consultants committed to environmentally responsible oil and natural gas development in the Intermountain West. More information on IPAMS and its members is available at www.ipams.org.
Tags: carbon, carbon footprint, CEA, CEA Energy Grass Roots, climate, congress, Consumer Energy Alliance, consumer energy alliance grass roots, consumer energy alliance grassroots, Consumer Energy Issues, Department of Interior, domestic, energy, energy security, environmental groups, federal land, greenhouse gas, Independent Petroleum Association of Mountain States, IPAMS, National Heritage Areas, National Landscape Conservation System, National Park Service, natural gas, NHA, NLCS, Obama, Public Lands Omnibus Bill
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