Red, Green, and Blue

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Alaska Public Radio Network reports, at a recent press conference President Bush pushed for ANWR drilling as he “scolded” congress for preventing it thus far. Citing estimates from the Department of Energy, the President stated the possibility of ANWR producing 1 million barrels of oil per day translates to 27 million gallons of gas and diesel which would “likely” mean lower gas prices.

Following the press conference, APRN spoke with Senator Ted Stevens. Legislation sponsored by Senator Stevens and Senator Lisa Murkowski, both from Alaska, allows for drilling in a designated section of ANWR if the price of oil reaches $125 per barrel and stays at that price for five consecutive days. These two Senators are advocates of drilling ANWR to obtain our own oil in order to drastically reduce the amount of oil we import from the middle east. Based on the amount of oil currently purchased and used per day, they say the oil obtained from ANWR would reduce our price at the pump.

According to Senator Stevens’ web site he supports a balanced approach to the energy crisis which includes retrieving domestic oil, conservation, and alternative energy sources. I agree with Senator Stevens, we need a balanced approach. Is drilling ANWR the answer? In April it was reported that billions of barrels of oil are sitting under the Bakken Shale, and that area is already being drilled. Would it make more sense to continue and expand our efforts there?

The price of gas is continuing to rise, apparently we (as a country) are not going to refrain from purchasing oil to feed our gas guzzling habits. There is much discussion about what to do. Again, I return to the citizens and look beyond the politicians. Plan more and drive less. Walk, ride your bike or stay home for a change of pace. However you want to contribute there are things we can do to make a statement to our government and to those purchasing oil from the middle east.

Photo Credit: Michael P. Whelan via Flickr

Six Democratic Senators joined together on Wednesday to announce a comprehensive energy bill that would tax windfall profits and “force” investment in renewable energy.

Among other things, the Consumer-First Energy Act of 2008 would roll back tax breaks for oil companies and invest the money in renewable energy development and energy efficiency technology. It also would create a windfall profit tax on oil companies failing to invest in increased capacity and renewable energy resources.

According to one of the bill’s co-sponsors, Sen. Bernie Sanders (Ind.-VT):

“The bottom line is that at a time when this country faces a major crisis in terms of the price of oil, when many working families in our state and all over this country are hurting, I think we have brought forth a comprehensive piece of legislation, which begins to attack that problem with the result of lowering the price of oil.” Read the rest of this entry »

Word has it that the farm bill congressional conferees hammered out at the end of last week would most likely be vetoed by President Bush. The ink has not dried on the agreement, and that is why Congress had to pass an extension of the existing farm bill last week. The extension gives lawmakers until May 2, when they must either pass another stopgap measure or resort to the permanent 1949 agriculture law, if a new bill is not completed.

According to Ryan Grimm at Politico.com, when asked what the President would do if the current iteration of the farm bill made its way to the President’s desk White House spokesman Scott Stanzel replied, “as it stands now, it is not something the president would support.” Stanzel wrote in an email:

“The proposal before Congress would dramatically increase spending, in part by masking additional spending in budgetary gimmicks and accounting tricks.”

Farm bills pass - that’s what they do

Despite the threat, there may be enough Congressional support to override the veto. According to House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson (D-MN), “If the White House is stupid enough to veto this, they’re going to get overridden.”

The farm bill is a very popular funding mechanism for Congressional spending. Every state’s congressional delegation works extremely hard to get their slice of the agricultural pie - not doing so does not bode well in the eyes of powerful ag interests and the voters of agricultural states. In short, farm bills do not get vetoed. At least very rarely do they get vetoed - there are a few exceptions. Read the rest of this entry »

Bill picks up strong bipartisan support

[UPDATE: The Senate version of the Conservation Act passed overwhelmingly today, by a vote of 91-4]. The House of Representatives has voted to pass H.R. 2016, the National Landscape Conservation Act, by a tally of 278-140. The bill will give legal recognition to the National Landscape Conservation System, a Clinton-era program that oversees some 27 million acres of federal land mainly in 11 Western states and Alaska. Joining the 238 Democrats in support of the legislation were 50 Republican members of the House [follow this link to see how your Representative voted]. Read the rest of this entry »

[Update: H.R. 1016 has passed the House by a vote of 278-140. There is a similar version awaiting action in the Senate]

The House is scheduled today to vote on H.R. 2016, the National Landscape Conservation Act. And a broad bipartisan coalition ranging from such groups as the Wilderness Society to Republicans for Environmental Protection, is asking you to call your Representative and demand that they support the landmark wilderness conservation legislation.

H.R. 2016 does not change management of the lands in question, nor does it require additional expenditures. In fact, the Congressional Budget Office scored the bill at $0, which means it does not violate House pay-go rules. Please consider calling, writing, or otherwise contacting your representative immediately and asking them to support this important bill that would safeguard millions of acres of wilderness, rivers, forests, mountains, and streams.

The Wilderness Society

Federal renewable energy tax credits, Congress’ favorite subject to debate but do little about, has once again been brought to the Senate floor. But because the amendment still has no funding mechanism suitable for pay-go rules, I would argue it stands little chance of passage. Pay-go compels new spending and tax law changes to not add to the federal deficit, or if they do, they must create some sort of offset somewhere else in the budget [read more about pay-go].

In a wonky twist that would alter the clean energy incentive structure in this country rather significantly, Senators Alexander (R-TN) and Kyl (R-AZ) offered an amendment (S. Amdt 4429) that would extend the production tax credit for two years (instead of one) for wind, geothermal, biomass, landfill gas, small hydro, and wave and tidal power. Read the rest of this entry »

America drives! With an average of 2.28 vehicles per U.S. household, and the average American commuting 33 miles per day to work, we are definitely a country that drives. The majority of U.S. cars on the road are fueled by oil. A large percentage of U.S. Oil is currently purchased from foreign countries. It is safe to say we are a country that drives dependent on other countries providing the oil to fuel our vehicles. With war raging in the Middle East, the price of oil constantly climbing and Americans still driving there is heated debate over what can be done to eliminate our dependence on foreign oil. This week the Institute for Local Self Reliance released a report entitled “Driving Our Way to Energy Independence” specifically covering The Energy Independence and Security Act signed by Congress in December 2007.

The effort by Congress in 2007 attempts to transform our current transportation system by mandating higher vehicle efficiency, an increase in production of biofuels, and efforts in renewable electricity. More pie in the sky rhetoric? Well I believe that depends on us, the people, the citizens, innovators, entrepreneurs and activists in our country. American history teaches us about a people who sacrificed their lives settling in a new land, willing to give up convenience for their future. No, we don’t have to settle in a new land. I doubt we will have to give up too much convenience. The technology is available and we are able to transform our current dependence on oil to renewable energy sources.

Read the rest of this entry »