We must rely on American energy
.
Every sector of our economy runs on abundant, reliable, and inexpensive energy. America has enough energy to meet the needs of our country, but our current energy and environmental policy discourages domestic drilling and encourages the importation of our energy from other countries. While wind, solar, geothermal, and hydroelectric power all show great promise for the distant future, in the near future none of them can provide more than 7% of our energy needs. For the security and prosperity of our country, we must allow more drilling, refining, and distribution of American oil and natural gas. It is time to stop regulating like it is 1970 and start producing our own energy.
Natural gas is a terrific fuel option, but our government continues to select other energy options rather than allowing the free market to decide the best fuels. Natural gas is clean burning, readily available, and cost-effective. With new natural gas technologies and more on the way, natural gas could solve our energy problems for decades. Technologies like hydraulic fracturing create a small profile above the ground and an abundance of reliable energy supply for our economy. Federal regulations that limit the growth of energy companies should be withdrawn to allow increased capital investment and increased energy production /distribution.
For our own national and financial security, we must stop exporting our dollars overseas as we import our energy. Allowing more drilling and more refineries does not mean we will go back to the smog of the 1970s; it means we will have inexpensive, reliable energy, and it will help solve some of our national security issues as we stop transferring the wealth of our nation to other nations.
The moratorium on drilling in the Gulf of Mexico must be lifted. Every energy company cannot be punished for the mistake of one company. There are thousands of safe wells in the Gulf, and they should continue to function for our energy future and economic stability. Additional drilling should be allowed on land and in shallow water to increase our domestic energy supply. Additional refining should be permitted.
Nuclear, wind, solar, hydro-electric, and other energy options should be encouraged through regulatory reforms rather than increased subsidies.
How do you feel about nuclear power?
I’m glad to read your comment in opposition to increased subsidies for nuclear power. I hope your dim view of other alternative energy sources will change as the facts about them become more clear. You say, “…Wind, solar, geothermal, hydroelectric all show great promise for the distant future.” In fact, these energy sources are in use right now — and most of our new electric power today is coming from wind energy.
Please stay focused on the true costs of our energy sources — including the ‘external’ costs attributable to environmental protection, health effects, and so on. With the support of smart people in Congress, our nation is capable of building a safe, clean, sustainable power system for the 21st century.
Mr Lankford, the date of the energy post is Jan. 2010
maybe I missed it but can we get your recent views. please share your thoughts for the oklahoman’s working in the oil and gas industry
I guess recent oilspill has got a lot of people
Mr. Lankford,
your claim to be rigidly opposed to eco-terrorism stands in direct conflict with your opinion that the moratorium on gulf drilling should be lifted, and that offshore drilling is the future of the USA’s energy independence. How do you reconcile these two diametrically opposite views?