December 2010 CEA Newsletter
Issue 45
November was an interesting month for those monitoring the progress of U.S. energy policy development. Two announcements by the Department of Interior show how this Administration continues to try to develop alternative energy for the long-term, but fails to take definitive action to spur needed energy production today.
First the long-term: Announced on November 23rd, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar launched a “Smart from the Start” wind energy initiative for the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf to facilitate siting, leasing and construction of new projects, spurring the rapid and responsible development of this abundant renewable resource. As we look forward and seek to aggressively pursue harnessing our available energy resources, this “fast track” for wind permitting is a crucial component to building a robust renewable energy program that both boosts the energy portfolio and creates much needed American jobs.
While we support the accelerated wind permitting process as a much needed step toward a robust, balanced energy policy that features wind, solar and other renewables, it is also clear that alternatives will not make a significant contribution to our energy needs for several decades. That is why the second Interior Department statement is so troubling. On November 22nd, Secretary Salazar went to New Orleans presumably to announce that he was going to issue new offshore oil & gas permits. No such announcement occurred, and industry & consumers were left, once again, to wonder what exactly was this Administration’s plan for near-term energy & job development in this country. The time has arrived for a more aggressive plan to kick start the lease sale process and begin to move forward.
As the year comes to a close and we reflect on what has occurred in the energy arena, we must be generally discouraged by Washington’s failure to enact sensible, balanced energy policy. The BP accident was a tragedy, but the government’s response appears to have been more harmful than the actual disaster. By failing to adequately get the energy industry moving again, while also failing to enact long-term, pro-job, pro-economic growth energy policies, the nation is left to struggle with a moribund economy and no real sign of tangible hope on the horizon.
David Holt, CEA President
Support American Jobs and the National Economy: We Need to Begin Lease Sales in the Gulf Immediately
As a part of the meeting, the BOEMRE released a timeline of the proposed steps in the leasing process. Though they are starting the draft SEIS comment period now, lease sales are not scheduled to take place until May 2012. Furthermore, the current uncertainty of the permitting process is yet another hurdle that continues to delay offshore oil and gas production in the Gulf. It is clear that the federal government is continuing their policy of delay on drilling in the Gulf of Mexico. Click here to see our Call to Action and to send a letter today!
CEA Welcomes New Affiliate Member
Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce
CEA is pleased to welcome a new affiliate member, the Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC), a business association dedicated to promoting business, economic opportunity, and commerce in the state of Wisconsin. WMC has nearly 4,000 members that include both large and small manufacturers, service companies, local chambers of commerce and specialized trade associations. With the goal of promoting a healthy business climate since 1911, WMC is a merger of the Wisconsin Manufacturers Association, the State Chamber of Commerce and the Wisconsin Council of Safety. Read the full press release here.
Energy Day 2011: Plans Are Underway!
Plans for Energy Day 2011 are already underway, and we are excited to add a new component to next year’s event. Along with the Energy Day forum and reception in Washington, DC, next year will include an energy-focused, educational festival held at City Hall in Houston. To celebrate Houston as the “energy capital of the world,” consumers and industry leaders will be coming together to highlight the energy community and how energy affects our everyday lives. Please join us and take advantage of this opportunity to sponsor and participate. Some of the highlights next year will be:
• Contests, awards & educational displays to reach youth
• Live music, games, food & fun appealing to families
• Science, art and multi-media contests for students
• Area school districts and after-school educational programs playing key roles to ensure
energy education and student participation are important parts of Energy Day
throughout the year
• Energy technology represented to attract energy consumers
• Something for everyone!
Sponsorships and participation opportunities are available now. Please contact Kathleen Koehler at kkoehler@consumerenergyalliance.org to receive information and sign up to participate!
Educating Your Kids About Energy
As responsible energy citizens, it is most important that we educate our youth about the importance of energy resources and how they affect our everyday lives. In order to produce a population that is both equipped with knowledge and prepared to make a positive difference, energy education is a necessity. The U.S. Energy Information Administration is a great place to start to learn about our domestic energy resources, and they now have an entire website dedicated to educating kids. Visit Energy Kids today, and encourage your kids to visit the site often to learn more about American energy!
Energy 101: API Oil Shale Subcommittee
At the Washington, D.C. CEA meeting on November 18, 2010, Andrew Browning of HBW Resources conducted a presentation on the American Petroleum Institute’s Oil Shale Subcommittee’s education and outreach activities. He highlighted the members, their goals, challenges, and key accomplishments. To see the full presentation, click here.
Gas Technology Institute
GTI is an independent not-for-profit organization serving research, development, and training needs of the natural gas industry and energy markets. GTI is dedicated to meeting the nation’s energy and environmental challenges by developing technology-based solutions for consumers, industry, and government. GTI is located on an 18-acre site in the Chicago suburb of Des Plaines, Illinois. The facility houses nearly 250 of GTI’s professional and support staff, and all of the equipment necessary to support this program.
GTI has more than 65 years of Research and Development (R&D) experience, including projects funded by federal and state agencies, as well as private industry, and has a long-established record of meeting the objectives, goals, and deliverables of R&D programs on time and within budget. GTI has received almost 1,200 patents and has entered into 750 licensing agreements, and equity positions in several portfolio companies which is proof of its ability to solve the customer’s challenges and move the results to the marketplace.
GTI’s sole focus is energy education, consulting, analysis and technology development so energy issues and policy directly affect markets and technology investment which in turn have a direct impact on GTI and the direction of its R&D.
“CEA is focused on a balanced approach to energy production and use,” said Daniel S. LeFevers, Executive Director of Washington Operations at Gas Technology Institute. “It is important to take market factors as well as environmental concerns into account when addressing future and current energy policy.”
To learn more about the Gas Technology Institute, visit their website at www.gastechnology.org.