Palin Ignored Chance to Promote US Energy Independence
As Governor, Sarah Palin has successfully maintained Alaska’s energy independence, but at the same time, she has essentially ignored the mainland’s energy concerns.
Time Magazine reports that as Governor, Palin supported the direct export of enough clean natural gas to supply 1.4 million Americans for two years.
In early 2007, an Alaskan liquefied natural gas plant owned by Marathon Oil and ConocoPhillips requested Department of Energy permission to export some of the fuel. Palin entered the discussion in April, but only to ensure that Alaska’s natural gas needs would be included in the deal.
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An agreement was reached in January this year, and never once did Palin suggest that the natural gas should instead be used in the lower 48 states. Instead, 100 billion cubic feet of liquefied natural gas will be exported from Alaska’s Cook Inlet to Japan and other Asian countries, where the fuel sells for double what it does in America.
But this is business as usual for Alaskan natural gas: the West Coast did not have a facility to store liquefied natural gas until May 2007 when a nearly-$1 billion plant was completed along the Baja coast of Mexico. The plant is connected to the CNG pipelines that run throughout the western United States.
The project was well-known and anticipated by the energy industry, but Palin—“one of the foremost experts in this nation on energy issues”—never considered the plant as a possible destination for Alaska’s gas.
The idea that Palin is an energy expert was laughable already, but this decision showed a brash disregard for American energy independence, a cause which she champions nearly every day on the campaign trail.
Photo Credit: Bobster1985 on Flickr under Creative Commons license.
I remember a time when we were supported our leaders so much better than now. They would have to do something very blatantly and directly offensive to us to not have our respect. We were grateful for the privilege of paying attention to our jobs while they take the time represent us in government.
What does this mean?
The project was well-known and anticipated by the energy industry, but Palin—“one of the foremost experts in this nation on energy issues”—never considered the plant as a possible destination for Alaska’s gas.
Sharon,
What Palin does in the race for the White House is not a true indicator of the type of person she or any of the candidate are. Of course she is going to push something like this through now, it good PR. The truth behind a candidate is what they did before and after the race.
Yeah, and an eye for an eye will leave us all blind. This is why I’m so sick of the media. Almost any action or inaction is subject to be taken out of context and distorted. For me, it has the opposite effect. When someone is stretching so hard to find a criticism that they have to make crap up, it smacks of desperation and dishonesty. Did you hear Mccain defend Obama as a “good family man” when some lunatic called him an Arab? Even his supporters booed him. That’s the kind of change I think we need.
So in other words, Sarah never once suggested that the gas be sold for HALF AS MUCH?
The idea that Alex Felsinger is a real journalist isn’t even laughable.
Your comment is crude and reflects the mentality that put Palin in office and got her selcted as McCain’s running mate.
I suppose you believe that her unelected , no appointed to any special commission, not a consultant, non govenrment employee husband was right in accessing state government personnel files and calling meetings of the governor’s staff, using her office to hold meeting s and genreally making himself the lt. governor while trying to vindacte his family’s alleged fears about someone who worked for the state.
Oh yes, try writing and talking without using cursing. You’ll find that it’s habit forming.
Hi Sharon, a couple of notes:
1. The pipeline will cost A LOT more than 30 billion
2. The pipeline was not Palin’s idea. Many before her have tried and… (continue to point 3)
3 …..Until she was Governor, Palin apposed the international pipeline. She wanted to keep the pipeline inside Alaska entirely. She and Todd popularized the phrase “Canada my ass, it’s Alaska’s gas.” Where is that foreign policy experience I keep hearing so much about?
4. The pipeline is likely to never be built. It is costly and financing has not been secured. Neither has the right to use much of land where the pipeline will be built.
5. The fact that she is trying to do something many others have already tried -and failed- shows only that she lacks creativity in coming up with new solutions.
6. The fact that she is touting this “accomplishment” on the campaign trail appalling. Nothing has been accomplished and it wasn’t her idea to begin with anyway. Not only was it not her idea, but it was a bad idea that she went along and ahead with because she seems to be unable to come up with any good new ideas. It just sounds good on the campaign trail, that’s all.
I agree with Teract, it’s an awful shame that the people we depend on the most in this Country to get the news from post nothing other than trash. With all the trash that the media writes about her, she should be a hero for rising above it all. Go Palin.
The financial Crisis at moment is no one elses fault but the homeowners who failed to pay their morgages and no one is blaming them. I have no doubt that those people are the exact ones pointing the finger.
I agree with Teract. These claims make it sound like she can do magic — and that she should have. It’s not that simple. Give her a break!
I know it is politics as usual but the negatives that are desperately rounded up against Sarah Palin are miniscule compared to the baggage that Obama brings to the scene. Bush must be so hated by the left and disliked by the conservative right I think that any warm body would be highly regarded by the left and gullible voters.