The Center for North American Energy Security
A better way to create jobs
Thursday, February 25th, 2010
This week as Congress debates a $15 billion jobs bill aimed at getting more than 15 million unemployed Americans back to work, there is this story out of Janesville, Wisconsin: an autoworker was so desperate to hold onto his job that he followed it when it moved to another state 500 miles away.
Desperate times do indeed call for desperate measures, and after two straight years of jobs loss, many people can think of worse things than a 1000-mile-per-week commute that, after hours on the road, leads to a paycheck.
You have to applaud Congress for its attention to the very severe jobs crisis the country faces. But any reasonable person also has to wonder if there isn’t an easier way.
The Heritage Foundation made the same point earlier this month when it outlined research showing how increasing domestic oil production by two million barrels per day could create 270,000 jobs.
The best thing about these jobs is that they would be easy to find. Ever since July of 2008, when then-President Bush lifted a 10-year-ban on offshore drilling, there has been pent-up demand from Florida to California, Texas and even Virginia to begin exploratory drilling in the nation’s outer continental shelf.
It’s going on two years since that historic milestone, which might have created more of the well-paying jobs we need. And yet, we’re all still waiting. That’s because there seems to be a de-facto ban in place, with layers of red tape, despite an overwhelming show of support by the American public in favor of increasing the responsible production of domestic oil and gas.
Now, given the history of energy in our country, it’s reasonable to assume that oil, gas, nuclear power and even windmills will all be the topics of debate for years to come. And that’s probably fine – to a point. Vigorous public debates can help us refine our policies so that they better address a broad range of interests.
But when you reach a point where the public “discussion” is so heated that it chokes off all action, the debate is no longer serving anyone. And, at a time when lawmakers are talking about spending billions of dollars to put people back to work, it seems irresponsible to disregard the strategies that would create thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands of jobs, without costing the government a penny.
Today more and more states are revisiting drilling projects in coastal waters. For the first time in years, California, one of the most oil-rich states in the nation, is considering ways to allow more offshore drilling. But it took a severe state budget crisis to get it to that point, and strong opposition remains. Sentiment also appears to be shifting in Florida, where even some of the tourist groups that were once the staunchest opponents to offshore drilling have come to recognize that you can’t have a strong tourism industry without a strong economic base.
These are promising signs to be sure, but without decisive support and follow through, they will remain just that: unfulfilled promises.
In Virginia, lawmakers are close to passing a law that would allocate revenues from offshore drilling projects for roads in the state. Yet, the drilling itself has not yet commenced and could face delays for years. Even Alaska’s oil industry, long a strong and steady source of domestic oil, faces an uncertain future thanks to red tape.
Irresponsible behavior, or just madness? At a time desperate job seekers are being forced to drive thousands of miles to find work, this ongoing resistance to increased domestic oil and gas production seems to be a little bit of both.
Tags: American energy, American jobs, autoworkers, balanced energy, economy, energy security, jobs, jobs bill, offshore drilling, The Center for North American Energy Security, unemployed
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ATA’s Remarks about Energy Day 2009
Thursday, May 14th, 2009
http://www.airlines.org/economics/energy/CEA+Energy+Day+May+13.htm
ATA Articulates Energy/Economy Nexus
Remarks of John P. Heimlich, ATA Vice President and Chief Economist
Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA) Energy Day on Capitol Hill
May 13, 2009
On behalf of the U.S. airline industry, I thank you for the opportunity to speak today. In the not-too-distant past, our industry was notably larger. Employment at U.S. passenger airlines peaked in May 2001 at more than 542,000 full-time jobs. Today that number stands at just 392,000, a drop of 150,000 jobs; regrettably, further cuts are likely. You might also be interested to know that commercial aviation ultimately drives more than 10 million U.S. jobs and more than five percent of the nation’s economy.
While virtually every U.S. industry has been harmed by the scope of today’s global recession, the airlines’ ability to rehire, to grow its employment ranks and to enable the growth and competitiveness of so many other industries depends immensely on the stability and security of our nation’s energy portfolio. In 2008, U.S. passenger and cargo airlines spent a record $58 billion on jet fuel, nearly three-and-a-half times the fuel bill for 2000. Unprecedented volatility in fuel prices and far-too-frequent disruptions to our fuel supply have rendered unsustainable significant levels of air service and staffing, forcing cuts in routes and frequencies in communities across the nation. Many of those communities lost all scheduled air service, with no sign of restoration anytime soon.
Yet, we embrace the future with great expectations. The transformation of our aging air traffic control system from radar-based to satellite-based navigation, along with the development of alternative jet fuels, offers aviation a golden opportunity to enhance U.S. energy efficiency and competitiveness while yielding tangible environmental benefits and creating tens of thousands of jobs.
The nation’s airlines applaud today’s congressional hosts, as well as President Obama and his administration, for their leadership and keen focus on the energy challenge facing America. We are extremely proud of our industry’s unrelenting environmental progress, having increased fuel efficiency more than 110 percent since 1978, including more than 25 percent since 2000 alone. And we have committed voluntarily to continue along that path, pursuing new equipment, environmentally friendly alternative fuels, and more efficient air navigation services.
But these efforts are not sufficient by themselves. Our industry, and many others, will long depend on fossil fuels for a substantial share of our energy. In addition to the development of wind, solar, nuclear and the like, a truly comprehensive, meaningfully balanced U.S. energy policy must include the expanded cultivation of conventional domestic resources, including oil and gas, as well as coal. To deny that is to deny reality. The good news is that twenty-first century technologies, engineering know-how and industry best practices allow us to tap these sources in a far more environmentally responsible manner than most are aware.
Let me be crystal clear on this – the Air Transport Association of America supports a balanced, comprehensive U.S. energy policy that enhances a secure supply of environmentally friendly energy characterized by increasingly stable costs. What does that mean? First, I cannot stress enough the importance of promoting conservation and efficiency by upgrading our air traffic infrastructure and redesigning congested airspace. Second, we must accelerate the development and deployment of alternative aviation fuels. In 2006, ATA co-founded the Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative, working in concert with the Federal Aviation Administration, the Air Force and several other government agencies, as well as academia and the energy community. Third, we must ensure that energy prices are determined by the fundamentals of supply and demand rather than the whims of financial players with no ties to the physical product. Reform of our energy commodities markets is essential, adding sorely needed transparency and oversight to the trading of petroleum, heating oil and, potentially, carbon futures. Last, but not least, we must expand access to traditional domestic sources of energy such as oil and gas, simultaneously cultivating alternatives.
With every new proposal emanating from Congress, let’s be sure to score each one not only on its environmental merits but also on its contribution to both energy security and economic security. After all, a truly comprehensive energy policy should treat these as compatible – not conflicting – goals. Too often, crafters of legislation have failed to appreciate the interrelationship among different petroleum products, for example not realizing the impacts that a policy aimed at motorists might have on trucking, maritime or aviation.
There are lots of paths to a greener future, but reducing the viability of air service and the thousands of associated jobs is not the right one – especially in our increasingly global society. As one UNC professor has written, aviation is the physical Internet. Others have called us the nation’s circulatory system. Constraining our growth is tantamount to constraining our economy. Let me assure you – the airlines want to help, and we are confident that a policy embracing technology, operations and infrastructure is the best way to ensure that America’s future is not only greener on the environmental scale, but also on the financial scale.
A thoughtfully crafted U.S. energy policy will recognize these goals as entirely compatible. In our case, we are certain that smarter skies will translate to smarter energy and vice versa, fostering air service levels that are both economically and environmentally sustainable. Simply put, when it comes to aviation and the jobs that depend on it, energy matters.
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Tags: 60 Plus Association, Agriculture Energy Alliance, Air Transport Association, American Association of Petroleum Geologists, American Chemistry Council, American Exploration & Production Council, American Gas Association, American Highway Users Alliance, American Iron & Steel Institute, American Petroleum Institute, American Public Gas Association, American Trucking Associations, Consumer Energy Alliance, Consumer Energy Alliance Energy Day, Diesel Technology Forum, Energy Day, Energy Day 2009, Energy Day CEA, Environmentally Friendly Drilling Project, Greenline Industries, Independent Petroleum Association of America, Independent Petroleum Association of Mountain States, International Foodservice Distributors Association, National Association of Manufacturers, National Association of Neighborhoods, National Ocean Industries Association, NGVAmerica, Nuclear Energy Institute, Shell, Southeast Energy Alliance, The Center for North American Energy Security, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
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Consumer Energy Alliance Hosts Energy Forum in Conjunction with Release of Energy Price Impact Publication
Monday, September 15th, 2008
WASHINGTON, DC – SEPTEMBER 15, 2008 Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA), a non-profit, non-partisan energy consumer advocacy group, hosted its inaugural CEA Energy Forum on Capitol Hill today in conjunction with the release of its energy price impact publication, “The Impact of High Energy Prices on Key Consumer Sectors of the U.S. Economy”.
“CEA was thrilled to host its first Energy Forum and showcase the release of our energy price impact publication. The forum was a great opportunity to bring together Members of the U.S. House of Representatives and their staffs with a unique collection of stakeholders, as well as representatives from both the Obama and McCain presidential campaigns, for a discussion on the impacts of high energy prices and possible solutions to improve U.S. energy policy,” said David Holt, president of CEA.
Holt continued, “Every sector of the U.S. economy is affected by high energy prices. Consumer Energy Alliance believes that our energy price impact publication provides a good summary of information from key consuming sectors on how energy prices are negatively impacting their respective markets — from airlines to trucking to retirees to small business — and the overall economy. In short, all the members of CEA agree: America needs long-term national energy security and reasonable prices for energy consumers.”
With almost 60 Members of Congress on its Host Committee, the forum featured key remarks from Representatives John Shimkus (R-IL), Tim Murphy (R-PA) and Adam Putnam (R-FL) who addressed Energy Forum attendees about the impacts that high energy costs are having on consumers and introduced the event’s consumer panel and publication discussion.
The forum also featured remarks by Jason Grumet from Sen. Barack Obama’s Presidential Campaign and Elizabeth Ames Jones from Sen. John McCain’s Presidential Campaign who both addressed the need for balanced energy policy.
‘Senator Obama understands that great nations take on great challenges – and that, with the right kind of leadership, we can reconcile a balanced comprehensive energy policy with significant reductions in carbon emissions,’ said Jason Grumet, executive director of the National Commission on Energy Policy and representative from Sen. Obama’s campaign, ‘We are pleased that Consumer Energy Alliance is helping to lead the effort in support of balanced energy policy. CEA’s members will bear the burden of helping to meet future energy and climate change challenges.’
‘We are proud of CEA’s role in helping to enact balanced energy policy. Sen. McCain understands that a balanced energy policy must include increased access to domestic oil and gas, a robust nuclear program and expanded use of alternative energy, like wind,’ said Elizabeth Ames Jones, Texas Railroad commissioner and representative from Sen. McCain’s campaign.
In addition to Congressional and campaign remarks, industry leaders participated in a panel discussion about consumers and discussed CEA’s publication, “The Impact of High Energy Prices on Key Consumer Sectors of the U.S. Economy”. The panel included: Greg Cohen, President, American Highway Users Alliance; Rich Moskowitz, Counselor, Regulatory Affairs, American Trucking Associations; and, Todd McCracken, President, National Small Business Association.
While the panelists each commented on the impact that high energy prices are having on their particular sectors, they also offered ways in which high energy costs could be alleviated. All of them agreed with the remarks given by the Members and presidential campaign representatives that called for balanced national energy policy approaches and recognized the need for continued dialogue among industry, consumer groups and Congress.
‘If we are going to meet the energy needs of a growing world, we need an energy policy that recognizes that we need it all – more domestic oil and gas, more renewables, more conservation and efficiency and less CO2,” said Jack Belcher, manager, Regulatory Affairs and Policy at Shell Exploration & Production Company, who attended the Energy Forum.
The Host Committee for the CEA Energy Forum included representatives John Barrow (D-GA); Joe Barton (R-TX); Tim Bishop (D-NY); Marsha Blackburn (R-TN); John Boehner (R-OH); Mary Bono (R-CA); Allen Boyd (D-FL); Kevin Brady (R-TX); Howard Coble (R-NC); Mike Conaway (R-TX); Jim Costa (D-CA); Henry Cuellar (D-TX); John Culberson (R-TX); Geoff Davis (R-KY); Philip English (R-PA); Mary Fallin (R-OK); Bill Foster (D-IL); Phil Gingrey (R-GA); Charles Gonzalez (D-TX); Bob Goodlatte (R-VA); Sam Graves (R- MO); Gene Green (D-TX); Ralph Hall (R-TX); Robin Hayes (R-NC); Bob Inglis (R-SC); Darrell Issa (R-CA); Jesse Jackson (D-IL); William Jefferson (D-LA); Sam Johnson (R-TX); Walter Jones (R-NC); Randy Kuhl (R-NY); Doug Lamborn (R-CO); Nick Lampson (D-TX); John Larson (D-CT); Tom Latham (R-IA); Robert Latta (R-OH); Connie Mack (R-FL); Carolyn Maloney (D-NY); Michael McCaul (R-TX); Louise McIntosh Slaughter (D-NY); John Mica (R-FL); Jeff Miller (R-FL); Timothy Murphy (R-PA); Sue Myrick (R-NC); Ed Pastor (D-AZ); Donald Payne (D-NJ); Mike Pence (R-IN); Ted Poe (R-TX); Adam Putnam (R-FL); George Radanovich (R-CA); Mike Ross (D-AR); John Shadegg (R-AZ); John Shimkus (R-IL); Thomas Tancredo (R-CO); Edolphus Towns (D-NY); and Mark Udall (D-CO).
Participating organizations included: 60 Plus Association; Agriculture Energy Alliance; Air Transport Association; American Association of Petroleum Geologists; American Chemistry Council; American Exploration & Production Council; American Gas Association; American Highway Users Alliance; American Iron & Steel Institute; American Petroleum Institute; American Public Gas Association; American Trucking Associations; Americans for American Energy; Association of Corporate Travel Executives; The Center for North American Energy Security; Environmentally Conscious Consumers for Oil Shale; Grocery Manufacturers Association; Independent Petroleum Association of America; National Association of Manufacturers; National Association of Neighborhoods; National Ocean Industries Association; National Petrochemical and Refiners Association; National Small Business Association; Nuclear Energy Institute; Southeast Energy Alliance; U.S. Oil & Gas Association.
CEA’s energy price impact publication, “The Impact of High Energy Prices on Key Consumer Sectors of the U.S. Economy”, is available on its website at www.consumerenergyalliance.org. Please click here to view publication.
In the coming months, CEA will provide additional reports outlining the impacts high energy prices have on the economy and possible solutions to meeting the U.S. energy challenge.
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: 60 Plus Association, Agriculture Energy Alliance, Air Transport Association, alternative energy, American Association of Petroleum Geologists, American Chemistry Council, American Exploration & Production Council, American Gas Association, American Highway Users Alliance, American Iron & Steel Institute, American Petroleum Institute, American Public Gas Association, American Trucking Associations, Americans for American Energy, Association of Corporate Travel Executives, carbon, carbon emissions, CEA, CEA Energy Grass Roots, climate, congress, Consumer Energy Alliance, consumer energy alliance grass roots, consumer energy alliance grassroots, Consumer Energy Issues, energy, energy policy, energy prices, energy supply, Environmentally Conscious Consumers for Oil Shale, gas, government, Grocery Manufacturers Association, Independent Petroleum Association of America, McCain, National Association of Manufacturers, National Association of Neighborhoods, National Ocean Industries Association, National Petrochemical and Refiners Association, National Small Business Association, natural gas, Nuclear Energy Institute, Obama, oil, Southeast Energy Alliance, The Center for North American Energy Security, U.S. Oil & Gas Association, wind
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