Energy

Our economy is in desperate need of affordable energy.  The days of cheap oil are past; I believe we must focus on affordable solutions, supply new energy products, and make greater use of current energy sources other than petroleum. 

I believe a sound energy plan means changing our concept of both supply and demand.  Such a plan includes both traditional energy supplies like coal, oil, and natural gas, and newer technologies such as solar, wind, and biofuels.

And if avoiding a crisis is as much a test of leadership as solving one -and I believe it is - we've had a historic failure of leadership in the area of energy policy.

Supply-side petroleum initiatives should include exploration and development of existing leased property. Over 68 million acres of currently leased federal lands are not being developed. That we cannot drill our way out of the current energy crisis should be clear.

During the years of the current Bush Administration gas prices have increased by 250% despite the fact that drilling on federal lands increased by 260%. Doing more of what we've always done is neither a plan, nor is it even a viable central component of a good plan, even if we were to do it more urgently, as my opponent would now have us do.

To be sure, oil is and will be a component of our energy supply for years to come. But increasing our independence from it will not only help our personal pocketbooks, it will broadly and positively support our economy, our foreign policy and our national security.

We can begin promptly by making greater use of natural gas in powering our transportation sector. Furthermore, we need to support and deploy current energy supply technologies and develop enhanced ones in the areas of solar, wind and sustainable biofuels.

Given the critical nature of our current crisis and the centrality of petroleum prices to this crisis, we need a firm regulatory response to prevent inappropriate speculation in oil futures. We also need to establish better guidelines for release of holdings from the strategic petroleum reserve, of which the current administration has made precious little use.

As for energy demand, conservation is much more than a personal virtue, as the Bush Administration has described it. It is something that everyone can do to limit the harsh impact that skyrocketing energy costs has had on their family and business budgets.

This option requires no new technology and can be implemented today by adequate information and personal will alone.

Criticism of conservation and new technologies is perhaps the most counter-productive aspect of the energy crisis debate. This status quo-oriented theory tries to conceal the sensible observation that this crisis can and will be solved by a series of incremental steps, a series of small solutions. One percent here and a few more there, and we've made the first few critical steps in a journey that will mean a better way of life on many levels in America.