Issue Position: Energy and Conservation

Issue Position

One of my favorite columnists is Thomas Friedman. He has been more eloquent than anyone I know in describing the energy crisis and the connection between energy security and terrorism. He is right when he says that America is funding "both sides of the war on terrorism." We are subsidizing Islamic extremists and the countries they inhabit through our debilitating dependence on foreign oil. At the same time we are spending billions, even in the face of historic deficits, to secure our homeland, equip our troops and booster intelligence services to fight the terrorists. We have an energy policy that will keep us addicted to oil regimes that are the most unstable in the world, and where America has few friends. Nigeria, Venezuela, Russia, the dangerous regime in Iran and the other unstable Middle East countries are positioned to maintain an economic stranglehold on our country, unless we act now to dramatically change course.

In addition to these international security concerns, our dependence on oil is crippling our economic future. China and India are expanding their economies and demanding more of the global oil market, which, in turn is driving up the cost of oil and leaving us with gasoline at the price of nearly $3.00 per gallon. There's no end in sight until we put our country on the right path of energy independence and security.

Just to put this crisis in stark perspective, Americans spend about $600 million dollars each day on imported oil. In a year's time that means $200 billion in funds that cannot be invested in addressing other problems like education, healthcare and the environment.

I've spent a good deal of my professional life working on energy issues. I am a trustee of the Midwest Research Institute which operates the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. As a state legislator, I chaired the renewable energy caucus which pushed one of the first laws to establish a renewable energy portfolio -- which was ultimately passed by the voters of Colorado with Amendment 37 in the 2004 election. I have also represented small oil and gas operators based in Colorado who compete every day against big oil companies for a fairer share of the energy market. Consequently, I have an understanding of how energy markets and regulations work and a long-standing passion for the promise of renewable and sustainable energy sources like biofuels, wind and solar. No matter what, as a nation we must broaden our approach to energy by becoming more efficient, conserving what we have and by expanding renewable energy sources.

CONSERVATION: Vice President Dick Cheney could not have been more wrong when he said that "conservation may be a sign of personal virtue, but it is not a sufficient basis for a sound, comprehensive energy policy." Energy conservation is about more than personal virtue; it is absolutely essential for our nation to begin to bridge away from dependence and towards security. It is obvious that the more efficient we are and the more energy we conserve, the more flexibility we have for the future. Simply put, the lower our demand, the lower the price.

My bold conservation plan will insist on raising fuel efficiency standards on our cars and sport utility vehicles. There's no reason we cannot have safer vehicles that also get better mileage. Unfortunately, the Bush Administration and the rubber-stamp Republican Congress have lacked the guts to buck the automobile industry lobbyists by insisting on raising this standard. That has to change and change quickly.

We know that raising fuel efficiency standards works. A 2002 National Science Foundation study concluded that raising Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency (CAFE) standards in the 1980s and 90s lowered our oil consumption by 2.8 million barrels per day. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that even a modest increase of 3.8 miles (over 27.5) would save oil and gas consumption for SUVs by 15% and for cars by 12%.

Efficiency and conservation shouldn't just apply to oil consumption; there are all kinds of ways we can reduce our consumption of energy. We can support so-called "green" building codes and energy efficient lighting in our government buildings. We can save energy and reduce our carbon footprint with relatively modest changes in the way we procure goods and services and in the way we promote tax credits and investments.

Part of smart conservation is to protect the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) instead of opening up one of the last pristine landscapes in America. Instead of disturbing this priceless refuge for short-term gain, as the rubber-stamp Republican leadership has proposed, I strongly believe that Congress should fight to conserve and protect this land.

INVESTING IN A MANHATTAN/APOLLO ENERGY PROJECT: In addition to efficiency and conservation, we need to make significant new investments (both in terms of public and private dollars) in renewable energy. The rubber-stamp Republican Congress has passed an energy bill that has nearly twice as many subsidies for oil and gas development as it does for renewable energy. This is precisely the wrong approach.

Instead of cutting jobs at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, Colorado, we ought to expand jobs. In fact, I support the passage of a comprehensive investment package that would make energy our national goal in much the same that we made creating the atom bomb in World War II, and placing a man on the Moon our goals in the past.

Wisely increasing our commitment to renewable energy will require an investment of public funds, but for every dollar we invest we will realize a long-term economic benefit. Smart renewable energy not only means energy security and a better environment, it also means creating jobs at home.

Last year Brazil became an energy independent country. Sweden and the United Kingdom are on their way to becoming energy secure within two decades. But here in America, we have a President who did not get around to even talking about our oil addiction until six years into his presidency.

We can do much better. A fundamental priority for me in Congress will be to champion energy independence and security.

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