CEA to Lawmakers: 2011 is the Year to Develop Balanced National Energy Policy
Consumer Advocacy Group Issues New Briefing Book and Energy Policy Recommendations to 112th Congress
WASHINGTON – Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA) outlined a host of commonsense recommendations advocating an “all of the above” national energy plan in a briefing book issued today to the 112th Congress. The book “Recommendations for a Balanced Energy Policy: A Briefing Book Presented to the 112th U.S. Congress,” focuses on policy changes that could improve the U.S. economy by using affordable energy as a means of creating new jobs, sending revenues back to the states, protecting the environment and responding to climate change.
“With worldwide energy demand expected to rise by 49 percent over the next two decades, and U.S. demand projected to increase by 14 percent, we must act now to change the direction of our national energy policy to meet America’s new energy future,” said CEA President David Holt. “The U.S. economy continues to struggle and unemployment remains high. This is a critical time for the nation to develop and implement a sensible energy policy that generates revenues to help reduce deficits, create jobs and get the nation moving again.”
The book contains sections on a wide variety of key energy issues, including: the development of oil and natural gas resources, wind, oil shale, rare earth elements, advanced biofuels and solar technologies, expansion of nuclear power, combined heat and power, and carbon capture and storage, as well as incentives to spur further energy efficiency, and many others.
“CEA members hope that Congress and the Administration will look beyond politics and embrace a ‘we need it all approach’ to energy,” said CEA board member Jennifer Diggins on behalf of Nucor Corporation. “Domestic energy security requires policymakers to recognize that our economy is dependent upon a plentiful supply of petroleum as we continue to promote alternative energy sources. Unfortunately, drilling in the Gulf of Mexico has been hampered by regulatory hurdles and total U.S. production is estimated to decline by 13 percent in 2011. Absent a significant change in domestic energy policy, rising gas and diesel prices will continue to threaten our economic recovery.”
Added Holt: “CEA looks forward to working with President Barack Obama and the new Congress as well as consumers, producers, small businesses, agriculture and manufacturing groups, among others, to seize on this important moment by leveraging America’s wealth of natural resources and promoting a balanced approach to improve the direction of our national energy policy.”
Among the objectives CEA encourages Congress to achieve:
• Increase access to energy development on the Outer Continental Shelf
• Incentivize efforts to create and expand alternative and renewable fuel sources
• Expand exploration and production of traditional and unconventional energy resources
• Promote a comprehensive U.S. program aimed at maintaining U.S. intellectual competitiveness through supported education of skilled scientists, engineers and trade professionals
Resources:
• Briefing Book: Recommendations for a Balanced Energy Policy
• Comments from CEA President David Holt: click HERE for audio, and HERE for video
• Op-ed: Holt: Affordable energy needed for economic resurgence
