Issue Position: Energy

Issue Position

I share many Nevadans' concerns over rapidly escalating energy prices. Our current domestic energy production cannot meet the needs of consumers, and I support an "all of the above" energy policy which includes natural gas, domestic oil production, and alternative energy sources such as wind, solar, hydropower, geothermal and nuclear. If we invest in American-made energy we will create job opportunities in Nevada and throughout the country, while being less dependent on foreign energy. As you may know, Nevada is one of the top producers of renewable energy, such as solar, wind, hydropower and geothermal in the United States. Some federal programs have been instrumental in encouraging the increased use and improvement of these technologies throughout the state.

I introduced H.R. 470, the Hoover Power Allocation Act of 2011, on January 26, 2011. This legislation creates a new pool of power volunteered by entities that currently use Hoover power so that new entities can have access to this low-cost, efficient energy source.

With the current restrictions on our ability to utilize domestic oil and natural gas resources, Nevadans are forced to pay a high premium on energy costs, especially for gasoline. On March 1, 2011, I signed a letter to President Obama urging his Administration to take immediate action to ensure America's energy security by expediting the permitting process for safe offshore energy exploration and development. I signed this letter to further encourage the President tostrengthen our domestic energy production as well as reduce our dependence on foreign energy sources.

As you know, last year's BP oil spill raised several concerns with regards to domestic policy on energy exploration and the federal offshore oil and gas program. Additionally, this incident prompted President Obama to issue an executive memorandum establishing a new moratorium on oil and natural gas leasing in the Bristol Bay area of the North Aleutian Basin of Alaska until June 3, 2017.

The BP oil spill was a tragic event, so ensuring that another incident like this one does not happen again means increased safety measures and precautions. However, restrictions on our ability to utilize domestic oil and natural gas resources only drive up energy costs and increase our dependence on foreign oil.

Updated July 26, 2011

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