Energy Policy

There are only two type problems on planet earth; natural and man made. There are no others. Our energy needs are natural and man made. Natural because we are dealing with a resource we did not create.

We can use our energy resources, but humanity had nothing to with the creation of oil, coal, trees and natural gases. If the availability of energy resources were our only problem, I can easily solve this problem for you because there are only 2 logical courses of action.

1. Develop and implement programs, policies and procedures that would limit our use and need for natural energy reserves. Or...
2. Develop and implement programs, policies and procedures to deal with the aftermath in the event this could not be done. Surely, any intelligent group of people can figure this out.

Since what nature has done or will do is beyond our and my immediate control, I must identify our collective problems before I can solve them for you. Our man made problems can be lumped into 12 broad categories.

• Failure to Research and/or Investigate (Educational, Institutional)
  
• Inadequate Technological Development (Educational, Institutional)
  
• Developmental Failure (Don't have enough knowledge or expertise)
  
• Implementational Failure (Social, Political, Economic)
• Operational Failure (Social, Political, Economic)
  
• Failure to Communicate (Social, Political)
• Failure to Cooperate (Social, Political)
• Personal or Group Greed (Social, Political, Economic)
• Personal or Group Insensitivity (Social, Political)
• Personal or Group Hatred (Social, Political)
• Ignorance and Uncertainty (Humanity's biggest problem)
• Lacking the Courage or Will to Solve the Problem, Collectively or Individually (Every problem has a solution)
  

All these problems can be solved with accurate information and applying the age old principle of using whatever knowledge we have managed to accumulate with understanding and wisdom. Whenever a person or group fail to act responsibly or fail to compromise in a legislative process because of conscious, principle or belief (religious or otherwise), we are not dealing with a problem. We are dealing with a condition.

Conditions can exist for any number of reasons. Our collective mission and objective is to find out the nature of the condition and address it in an intelligent, thoughtful and forthright manner. This means our energy needs can be solved. I strongly support making all available areas open for access to oil and natural gas exploration. The federal government should have developed a logical and comprehensive energy policy by now. Any well thought out energy policy should have 6 key elements...

• Effectively alleviate high consumer energy prices
• Reduce or effectively manage consumption
• Reduce our reliance on imported energy resources
• Develop alternative and/or renewable energy sources
• Increase our ability and capacity to develop and manage our own energy resources..and
  
• Protect the environment before, during and after energy resources are discovered or developed by a man made process.
  

Consumers, industry and businesses throughout the nation should have enough innate intelligence to realize oil, gas, coal and other natural energy resources are finite. Even renewable energy resources have limitations. Therefore, if our nation is still struggling with rising energy prices, tighter supplies and increased reliance on imports from politically unstable areas, then we have a failed or failing leadership group in charge.

It is more important than ever that the federal government allow access to all offshore oil and natural gas supplies – including those available in the Gulf of Mexico, Alaska and the Atlantic. Our government leaders should be working out the details of a sensible energy policy that safely and effectively utilizes U.S. resources. This will not only help industries that rely on crude and natural gas, it would also strengthen our national security, provide jobs for our citizens and spur economic growth.

The Administration and Congress must also quickly approve measures allowing coastal states and localities to receive a fair and equitable share of revenues derived from offshore oil and gas production. This production revenue would provide a tremendous benefit to state and local communities; helping to build roads, schools, hospitals and to address other vital local needs. In addition, no exploration and/or delivery of energy resources should be done without taking all the necessary precautions to safeguard our environment. Don't forget...we live here.