Energy Inaction Is Not An Option

By Congressman John L. Mica (FL-07)

Transportation moves our nation and our economy.  However as we begin the summer, fuel prices are at their highest point ever, with the national average price for a gallon of gasoline approaching four dollars. 

Unfortunately since the energy crisis of the late 1970’s, our nation has failed to adopt a sound and comprehensive energy policy.  That lack of action has forced our country to become more reliant on foreign oil to maintain our energy demands.  More than 60 percent of our oil is imported.  These rising energy costs wrecked havoc on family budgets, food prices inflated more than six percent over the previous three months, and crippled American businesses.

While we need to solve our reliance on foreign sources of fossil fuel in the long-term, we must develop our domestic resources in the short-term.  Our nation is in need of a comprehensive energy plan to lower energy costs today and into the future.  Congress must support solutions to bring down the high price of energy and, more importantly, secure America's energy needs. 

One short-term solution to help bring immediate relief at the pump is to reduce governmental interference in the energy sector.  Domestically, we have choked-off energy resources with overregulation and costly red tape.  These obstacles have hindered in the development of new coal power plants, new hydro-electric plants, liquefied natural gas terminals and transmission lines.  It is worth noting that no new nuclear reactor has been ordered in the United States since 1978 and the last major oil refinery in America opened in 1977.  We have proven technologies that can make an immediate impact on our energy needs.  We need to work to overcome obstacles to the implementation of these energy alternatives, and we need to act now.

Another short-term solution to address the current energy shortage is to promote domestic energy production by allowing limited natural gas exploration and extraction operations in Alaska and on our Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). 

Tapping additional resources in Alaska could produce 10.4 billion barrels of oil and would add approximately $138 billion in federal revenue to the U.S. economy.  Additionally, the OCS holds useable energy reserves that could offer short term energy relief.  The U.S. Department of the Interior estimated that OCS reserves include 8.5 billion barrels of oil and 29.3 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.  Unfortunately, 89 percent of the entire American OCS has been banned from access or drilling by Congress.  Through new technologies, we can develop these and other reserves in an ecologically safe and economically effective manner. 

And for the critics that simply advocate “protecting” our environment by halting domestic drilling and increasing foreign consumption, one statistic should stand out.  Sixty percent of oil spills happen as a result of transporting oil, not drilling for it.

Of course, the long-term solution to address our energy needs is to promote greater use of clean and renewable energy sources for electricity generation—such as hydrogen, solar, wind, nuclear, biomass, geothermal and hydropower resources—and to invest in energy research and development.  However it must also be recognized that these alternatives are only part of the energy solution and it will take years to transition to these renewable sources.

The current energy crisis has been created by past inaction.  It is not, however, too late to regain energy independence.  Through increased domestic energy resource development and leadership, we can alter our course and meet the energy challenges we face.