HOUSTON, TX: Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA) applauds recommendations released today by the Bipartisan Policy Center, which called on the Obama Administration to create a National Energy Security Council and a companion Quadrennial Energy Review to provide a forward-looking national energy strategy that has eluded every U.S. President since Richard Nixon.

The recommendation was prepared under the leadership of such influential decision-makers as former Senator Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.), former Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-Miss.), former Environmental Protection Agency Administrator William Reilly and former National Security Adviser Gen. James l. Jones.

CEA President David Holt offered this statement regarding the announcement:

“The Bipartisan Policy Center hit the nail on the head. Our current efforts to establish a U.S. energy agenda is like an orchestra without a conductor.  Now, more than ever, dedicated federal leadership is needed for this critical task. Developing such a strategy is the single most important action we can take to ensure our economy remains competitive for generations to come.

“A newfound abundance of conventional resources is resulting in significant increases to personal income while supporting an uptick in U.S. manufacturing. At the same time, over the last four years the percentage of U.S. electricity needs generated by renewables has doubled.

“Now is the time for the President to lead the way on energy. If the President truly wants to achieve an ‘all of the above’ energy approach this bipartisan plan is the most constructive way to begin that conversation.”

Read More:

Summary: The Bipartisan Policy Center – The Executive Branch and National Energy Policy: Time for Renewal

Full Report: The Bipartisan Policy Center – The Executive Branch and National Energy Policy: Time for Renewal

Full Report: Consumer Energy Alliance – North America’s New Energy Future

CEA Connects Both Sides of the Aisle, Hosts Conf. Call on Tuesday

HOUSTON: Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA) will examine whether energy policy can keep the American economy from falling off the fiscal cliff during a conference call on Tuesday, November 13 at 9:15 A.M. ET. Former Clinton and Bush administration officials John Northington and Michael Whatley will make their cases on how energy policy could impact the upcoming fiscal debate in the U.S. Congress.

Who: Former Clinton and Bush administration officials John Northington and Michael Whatley

What: Conference call examining impact of energy policy on looming fiscal debate in the U.S. Congress

When: Tuesday, November 13 at 9:15 A.M ET

Where: Members of the media should email rchammond@consumerenergyalliance.org or go to http://bit.ly/FiscalCliffCall to register for the teleconference.

About the Speakers

John Northington is a counsel to Consumer Energy Alliance. He served in the Clinton Administration at the Department of the Interior as Senior Advisor to the Director of the Bureau of Land Management. Mr. Northington also served as Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management with energy policy responsibility for the former Minerals Management Service and the Bureau of Land Management. Mr. Northington began his government service at the Department of Energy, where he served as White House Liaison, Chief of Staff for the Office of Fossil Energy and Senior Advisor for Oil and Natural Gas Policy.

Michael Whatley is the Executive Vice President at the Consumer Energy Alliance. Mr. Whatley served as the Chief of Staff for Senator Elizabeth Dole, Subcommittee Staff Director and Chief Counsel for the Environment and Public Works Committee in the United States Senate, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the United States Department of Energy and Counsel to the Republican Conference Secretary in the United States Senate. He also served as an attorney and Senior Policy Advisor for the Bush-Cheney 2000 Campaign and the Bush-Cheney Transition Team.

Note: Members of the media should email rchammond@consumerenergyalliance.org to gain access to the call.

Houston, TX – Consumer Energy Alliance Executive VP Michael Whatley notes the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality release of its pipeline evaluation plan will help correct critics and ensures consumers are on track to having a dependable energy supply from a trusted neighbor.

“Nebraska is doing it right.  Public input allows false claims to be corrected and the best possible plan for the pipeline to be put in place.  Consumer Energy Alliance is reviewing the DEQ plan and is eager to participate in upcoming public forums.”

Jobs for Nebraska

“The Keystone XL project will bring much-needed jobs and revenue to all of the states along its corridor, particularly Nebraska.  We commend the State of Nebraska and the DEQ for its efficient and timely evaluation of the new route through Nebraska, and we strongly encourage Governor Heineman to approve the new route as soon as the DEQ has finalized its process.”

What’s Next?

Following today’s release, the DEQ will commence a public review process that will include a formal public hearing in Nebraska.  Information received during this public review process will be incorporated into in a final evaluation report and submitted to the Nebraska governor for his approval.  Once this process is complete, the U.S. Department of State will then conduct its second environmental impact statement of the Keystone XL project, including information gained from the Nebraska DEQ process, and will determine whether to grant Keystone XL a presidential permit to begin construction of the Hardisty, Alberta-to-Steele City, NE pipeline. This process is expected to go through 2013.

WASHINGTON — A study released today by Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA) reconfirms the damaging impacts a national low carbon fuel standard (LCFS) would have on the American consumer and our economy.  With economic analysis conducted by National Economic Research Associates, Inc (NERA), today’s report “Critique of the UC Davis National Low Carbon Fuel Standard Study” outlines the false assumptions, selective analysis, and unsupported conclusions used by UC Davis to determine a national LCFS would benefit consumers.

Upon the release of the report, CEA’s Michael Whatley made the following statement:

“NERA’s economic analysis of UC Davis’ LCFS study underscores the catastrophic economic impact a low carbon fuel standard would have on consumers.  The UC Davis report is riddled in with dubious assumptions not facts. As NERA’s analysis highlights, the reality of a LCFS is troubling for American drivers, consumers, and homeowners who are already struggling to make ends meet.

“Given our nation’s record high prices and listless economic growth, a national low carbon fuel standard is the wrong choice for consumers.  The central conclusion that gasoline prices will fall due to the LCFS demonstrates a fundamental lack of understanding of the economics of fuel supply and demand.  A LCFS is more likely to increase gas prices, cost jobs, threaten reliable fuel supplies-shuffling resources, increasing transportation distances and augmenting total greenhouse gas emissions-and cost taxpayers millions than it is to provide any tangible economic or environmental benefits.”

As the NERA report analyzes, UC Davis made countless assumptions throughout its report to support the implementation of a LCFS. A few of the highlights from the report include:

• UC Davis study assumption: A LCFS will automatically lead innovators to develop greater quantities of low carbon fuels and any infrastructure needs for their deployment will materialize – ignoring many of the critical obstacles to adoption of lower carbon fuels.

• Reality: The federal renewable fuel standard (RFS) has failed to stimulate the development of advanced biofuels. Congress established the RFS seven years ago yet only a few thousand barrels of cellulosic ethanol have been produced commercially, despite the program’s initial mandate that hundreds of millions of gallons be produced by this year. There’s no evidence a LCFS will better stimulate development of advanced biofuels than the RFS.  Technological or commercial breakthroughs cannot be mandated by the government.

• UC Davis study assumption: The whole world will develop complementary policies to overcome the standard’s shortcomings including its call for large quantities of limited ethanol supplies and its impact on fuel prices.

• Reality: This assumption ignores history and current global politics. A LCFS has never been on the global agenda.  Furthermore, other countries will likely increase deforestation and crop production  to account for greater quantities of food that will be diverted as fuel, increasing global GHG emissions.

• UC Davis study assumption: Lower gasoline imports will lead to lower gasoline costs for consumers.

• Reality: The study misconstrues the true drivers of fuel costs and therefore incorrectly assumes a LCFS will put downward pressure on global oil prices. UC Davis’ exaggerated view on how U.S. gasoline imports affect domestic prices erroneously predicts that gasoline prices will decrease.

Read the complete NERA report here and CEA’s one page summary of the report here. For more information on the costly impact of a LCFS visit the Secure Our Fuels website or visit one of these reports:

•  A copy of a June 2010 Charles River Associates study that delineates the economic effects of a national LCFS can be found here.

• A recent study conducted by the Boston Consulting Group on the California LCFS can be found here.

• A copy of IHS-CERA’s critique of NESCAUM’s economic analysis of a LCFS on the Northeast region can be found here.

• A copy of CEA’s study on the negative economic impacts of a LCFS in the Northeast region, with modeling conducted by SAIC, can be found here.

CEA’s David Holt Previews Third Presidential Debate

Houston, TX – Consumer Energy Alliance President David Holt points out the connection between U.S. Energy Policy and U.S. Foreign Policy in advance of tonight’s third presidential debate in Boca Raton, FL:

“Creating North American energy self-sufficiency is the most complicated challenge facing the next President.  Complicated because until North America increases its domestic production, the biggest factor impacting the cost of energy has nothing to do with energy – it is stability abroad.

“As long as North America depends on foreign oil to power its economy than the autocratic values of regimes in the Middle East, Northern Africa and parts of Asia will dictate the cost American consumers pay for their energy.    The president who can bring stability to these regions is at the same time helping solve America’s energy challenge.”

Consumer Energy Alliance recently published, North America’s New Energy Future, a report detailing the vast stores of oil and gas in North America and the ways it can help drive North American energy self-sufficiency. The report finds that North America can attain the goal of energy self-sufficiency by 2020, and outlines the ways that the United States can encourage its realization of the goal.

HOUSTON, Texas – 15,000 Houstonians joined Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA) and the City of Houston in celebrating the city’s second annual Energy Day Festival at Hermann Square on Saturday, October 20th. Attendees included students, educators, and families who saw a a range of exhibits highlighting energy sources and technologies that help shape Americans’ everyday lives and the Houston economy. Guests were also treated to live music, as well as numerous interactive games and displays.

Consumer Energy Alliance, University of Houston and the City of Houston organized and supported the 2^nd annual event. At the conclusion of Saturday’s festivities, CEA President David Holt issued the following statement:

“Energy Day celebrated the importance of all forms of energy in our daily lives and helped educate students about the exciting opportunities that science, engineering and technology can provide for their future. We must give credit to all our participants whose stimulating exhibits and generous scholarship opportunities have sparked the imagination of our students and motivated thousands of future energy experts.”

Holt also added: “Many of the exhibits demonstrated how advances in technology have led to new sources of renewable energy, user-friendly ways to conserve energy, and alternative ways to power cars and trucks.  Participants included Anadarko, Apache, Caterpillar, Ignite Solar, Shell, Nucor Steel, eVgo, NASA-Johnson Space Center and ConocoPhillips among dozens of others. The event was a great success, attracting thousands of young students eager to learn the science behind these remarkable advances and the companies pioneering them.”

To see an overview of Energy Day 2012 provided by ABC 13 visit here

Some photos from the event are available to view here.

To learn more about Energy Day 2012 or to receive more information about how to participate in next year’s Energy Day, please visit http://energydayfestival.org/

Houston, TX – Consumer Energy Alliance’s (CEA) second annual Energy Day Festival is quickly approaching. Scheduled for October 20^th, the festival celebrates and highlights the importance of energy in our daily lives. This day-long festival takes place at Hermann Square in front of City Hall in Downtown Houston, Texas. The festival will include energy exhibits, live music, food, contests and fun for all ages.

An official City of Houston event, Energy Day’s mission is to highlight and demonstrate innovation in energy and to spark the interests of our next generation in energy-related careers. A fun and interactive event, Energy Day will give students and their families an opportunity to learn about various forms of energy, scientific breakthroughs, and technology through  educational displays, demonstrations, contests and presentations.

“Educational outreach and workforce development is key to the future of the energy industry and the Texas economy,” said David Holt, President of Consumer Energy Alliance. “We are happy to help secure the future of the energy industry in our great state.”

In addition to the festival, CEA and its partners also host a year-long Energy Day Academic Program that helps to amplify existing academic competitions and events through a series of six unique, citywide, energy-related competitions. The program helps to motivate, challenge and inspire young minds to seek careers in science and technology.  105 winners will receive a monetary award and recognition at the Energy Day Festival.