Is energy independence possible for the United States in the near future? Yes, says energy-independence advocacy group Energy Alternatives for the 21st Century (EA-21), but as long as Washington doesn't “blow it,” says the group. How would Washington “blow it”? By worrying too much about the environment and by ignoring biofuels.
That conclusion is based on a recent report on energy assembled by multinational oil company BP.
“For years, Energy Alternatives for the 21st Century (EA-21) has advocated energy security and independence. Our calculations confirm what the just-released BP energy study predicts: after years of hard work, finally, victory is in sight,” said EA-21 President Jack Halpern in a press release. “Despite this great progress, Washington’s leaders could still blow it if they fail to provide the support needed for advanced biofuels to fill the small remaining gap, and create obstacles to the production of unconventional oil from the Canadian tar sands and U.S. shale.”
The group cites several problems in Washington's approach. For starters, it disagrees with President Obama's recent veto of the proposed 2,147 mile-long pipeline from Canada to the U.S. gulf refineries (the “Keystone pipeline”). The president vetoed the proposed pipeline's application earlier this month, citing that the deadlines that had been attached to the project did not allow for sufficient assessment of environmental and other property impacts the pipeline would have on the states it crossed. Another delaying factor, says the group, is “new regulations that would limit the recovery of oil and gas from shale without any scientific basis for those regulations.” Finally, the report says that the failure to support steps such as the Open Fuel Standard and R&D funding that would help bring advanced biofuels to consumers is a factor in pushing off energy independence for the U.S.
The group accuses Washington lawmakers of being determined to “snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.” Environmental groups oppose the “energy independence at any cost” approach, citing damage to the environment for short-term energy independence gains that will have long-term impacts.
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Tracey Schelmetic is a contributing editor for TMCnet. To read more of Tracey's articles, please visit her columnist page.Edited by
Rich Steeves
