The Energy Daily and Covanta Energy hosted a media breakfast with Senate Energy and Natural Resources Chairman Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) to discuss the congressional outlook on energy. At the forefront of discussions was the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Moratorium. The OCS Moratorium was put in place by Congress in 1981 to protect America’s coasts from threats of oil and gas developments as well as to prevent leasing of coastal waters for fossil fuel development. (more…)

“Democrats in the House and Senate have stood in the way of more American made energy” said House minority leader John Boehner (R-Ohio). “That’s why almost 70% of our oil that we use everyday has to be imported.” Boehner and other top Republicans spoke at a press conference today to accept a petition from American Solutions signed by 1.3 million Americans. The petition calls on congress to take action now to lower gas prices. (more…)

Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R-Wis) criticizes House Democrats for voting 90% of the time against increasing America’s oil supply, while supporting Republicans who have recently voted in favor of doing so. Sensenbrenner added that he believes the Congress must act on high oil costs for the “sake of the working men and women of America and for the sake of our nations economy.” (0:33)

 

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The Senate Republican Conference met with several witnesses to discuss the solution to gaining “more American energy” and achieving “clean energy independence.” A major focus of the discussion was Sen. Lamar Alexander’s (R-Tenn.) “New Manhattan Project” in which he outlines seven steps or “Grand Challenges” which he considers essential to achieving this goal in the next five years. The Grand Challenges include making plug-in electric vehicles commonplace, making carbon capture a reality for coal-burning power plants, achieving cost-competitive solar power, creating safe storage for nuclear waste, developing cost-competitive biofuels, constructing environmentally-friendly buildings, and providing fusion energy.
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At a Brookings Institution discussion on energy challenges for the next president, Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) says that energy independence doesn’t mean that the U.S. “would never buy oil from Mexico, or Canada, or Saudi Arabia” but that it would never be “held hostage” for oil supplies. (0:43)

 

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The Brookings Institution held a discussion on energy challenges for the next president of the United States, where Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) spoke about his Seven “Grand Challenges” for the next five years. The 5-year proposal, which he calls “A New Manhattan Project,” includes integration of plug-in electric cars and trucks, carbon capture for coal-burning power plants, cost-competitive solar power, nuclear waste management, advanced biofuels made from inedible crops, green building construction, and fusion energy.
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Consumers are being tipped upside down by the big oil companies, with money being shaken out of their pockets at the pump. This statement made by Chairman Edward Markey (D-MA), was widely echoed by all members of Congress present at the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. President Bush, he said, refuses to use our oil reserves, and not only is that something that can be done, it is something that should be done. Congressman James Sensenbrenner (R-WI) echoed that by adding that they need to put aside bipartisanship and releasing the reserves was essentially paying attention to Economics 101.
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