“Gang of 16″ Calls for Drilling and Alternative Energy

Minnesota Senator Norm Coleman has announced his support for a plan to increase oil drilling as a means of paying for increased investment in alternative energy. Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Coleman announced his intention to join the “gang of 16,” a group of bipartisan senators seeking a compromise energy bill that would approve $20 billion over ten years towards the plan. The New Energy Reform Act of 2008 focuses on three overarching principles:

• Increased domestic production of energy resources, including oil and nuclear. This would include a go-ahead to open new areas for oil drilling on the Outer Continental Shelf off America’s Atlantic and Pacific Coasts;
• Transitioning vehicles to non-petroleum based fuels;
• A robust federal commitment to conservation and energy efficiency.

Speaking about the plan on Monday, Coleman said, “Nothing is more urgent, or of greater significance to the American people, than solving our energy crisis. The good news is this bipartisan group truly understands that folks around this country are suffering under high gas prices and are bringing forth real, common-sense solutions.”

Energy issues have become a flashpoint in Coleman’s battle for re-election against Democrat Al Franken. According to Franken Spokeswoman Jess McIntosh, “Al’s been calling for a real investment in renewable energy for two years and Norm’s been ignoring the need for six years.” However, Coleman has defended his record, saying that he’s long been an advocate of renewable energy, a conviction that has been reinforced by his experiences on the campaign trail. He also said that increased drilling would be the first step in securing the large sums needed for his proposed National Energy Infrastructure Trust Fund, which, amongst other things, would be used to pay for improvements in the U.S. wind energy system and research into the development of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.

The debate in Minnesota, as well as in other hotly contested states such as Colorado and Alaska, again highlights the differences in approach between Republican and Democrat candidates about the most appropriate way to tackle the energy crisis.

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Image Credit - jurvetson on Flickr via a Creative Commons License

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