Issue Position: Energy

Issue Position

With America currently facing an energy crisis, I am proud to have consistently supported measures that consider all new technologies and sources to improve U.S. energy security, free our nation from dependence on foreign oil, and bring down costs for consumers.

I believe Illinois can be a leader in helping fuel our economy for years to come. Illinois possesses unique resources that allow us to explore several options to address the energy crisis. For this reason, I strongly believe that we need to:

* establish the Department of Energy's FutureGen project in Mattoon, IL -- the world's first mass carbon-capture and sequestration project;

* invest in renewable and domestically produced energy sources such as biofuels (ethanol and biodiesel), solar, and wind;

* harness the power of the Mississippi River by utilizing hydro-electric power;

* create a cap and trade system to bring greenhouse-gas emissions down to a level that does not threaten human health or our planet;

* implement rigorous oversight of the energy futures market to ensure that Americans are not subject to questionable market manipulations and price gouging; and

* drill new reserves of oil and gas in an environmentally-sensitive manner on land and offshore areas already leased by oil and gas companies.

By tackling all of these initiatives, we will end our dependence on foreign oil, create millions of "green jobs" through increased investment in alternative energies, and decrease harmful carbon emissions that are destroying our atmosphere. I see no reason why this time of crisis cannot be a time for opportunity, and I pledge to continue working hard to ensure we take full advantage of the options before us.

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