Energy Policy
Promote Clean, Affordable Energy Here and Abroad
American economic prosperity is closely tied to the availability of affordable, abundant, and clean energy supplies. If we continue to restrict domestic production and refuse to build new energy infrastructure, jobs will be shipped overseas and America will be less competitive.
Energy demand in the United States could grow by as much as one-third between now and 2030; it's growing even faster around the globe, but new taxes are undermining the strength of U.S. business – particularly in the U.S. oil industry. The oil industry has lost 270,000 jobs, and if a new tax proposal is signed in 2010 that will significantly add more taxes to the industry, this will reduce R&D efforts for new energy sources, eliminate more jobs, and make the U.S. even more dependent on foreign oil. Another dire consequence is that reducing profitability will impact investors, including the mutual fund market, which owns 43% of all oil shares. Imagine what impact this will have on the entire stock market.
Internationally, environmental issues-including global climate change-must be answered with commonsense solutions that harness technologies, promote economic growth, and achieve environmental benefits.
VOTE DOWN THE CAP AND TRADE BILL
The Cap and Trade Bill, if passed, will be a disaster. Capping carbon emissions in the U.S. will have zero impact on the environment if two of the world’s biggest polluters – China and India -- don’t sign on to the agreement. Estimates are that if the U.S. cut its carbon emissions to zero, within as little as two years, carbon emissions wafting over from China would boost U.S. levels above current levels. It is now predicted by 2030 China’s CO2 emissions will equal the entire world’s carbon dioxide production of today.
It would be irresponsible to believe the wanton destruction of China’s environment and the surrounding region is their problem alone. It is sheer idiocy to suggest American trade policies towards China have not contributed to the greatest environmental meltdown in the history of our planet.
It is time to fess up. Over thirty percent of Chinese emissions are a direct result of exports for consumption by the United States and the European Union. Most of China’s emissions come from its outdated coal-fired electrical generation plants and furnaces that use technology developed prior to World War Two.
The U.S. must be part of the solution by taking responsibility for its foreign energy policies and forcing China to commit to a long term policy for reducing CO2 levels. It will help the world breathe easier.
News
Sep 4, 2010
St. Petersburg Times, Fla., Ivan Penn column (St. Petersburg Times)
Suzanne Grant, a spokeswoman for Progress Energy, said some 30 percent of low-income customers eligible for the weatherization program do not use it. Progress Energy offers that to specific communities in its 35-county coverage area on a predetermined schedule. But anyone can request the home...
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Sep 2, 2010
Advisory firms (The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)
Akron, Ohio-based FirstEnergy will issue 0.667 shares of its stock in exchange for each Allegheny Energy share outstanding. The Allegheny Energy headquarters employs more than 900. The merged FirstEnergy would be one of the nation's largest electric utilities in terms of customers and...
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Sep 1, 2010
Brookhaven Lab developing magnet energy storage system (Newsday)
...develop a superconducting magnet energy storage system to help harness renewable energy, officials at the Upton-based lab said. The institutions will receive $4.2 million in grants and another $1.05 million in matching funds. BNL's share will be about $2 million. "This exciting project is...
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Sep 1, 2010
Oklahomans rank 12th in energy consumption (Tulsa World)
...in energy consumed per capita, according to the EnergyTrends.org project by Lexington Institute, an Arlington, Va.-based think tank. EnergyTrends ranked Oklahoma in the top 16 in every category, including petroleum, gasoline, natural gas, coal and total energy used individually. Wyoming and...
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Sep 1, 2010
Oklahoma ranks No. 12 in per-capita energy use (Tulsa World)
...state ranked 12th nationally in energy consumed per capita, according to the EnergyTrends.org project by Lexington Institute, an Arlington, Va.-based think tank. EnergyTrends ranked Oklahoma in the top 16 in every category, including petroleum, gasoline, natural gas, coal and total energy...
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Aug 29, 2010
Finding its place in the sun (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
Now Orion is incorporating the Solyndra technology with its own Orion Light Pipe, a superpowered skylight that Orion designed. Installing energy-efficient lighting can pay for itself in one to two years because of the resulting energy savings, according to Orion. But other more intensive changes...
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Aug 29, 2010
Unions want their piece of shale business (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
David Levdansky, D-Forward, is one of the legislators whose ears have been bent by local trade unions. In fact, the state should be getting a lot of money" from the energy companies drilling in the Marcellus Shale, Mr. Stanizzo said. As part of their summer budget deal, state lawmakers and...
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