Fact: The United States has no energy policy
Fact: Nature abhors a vacuum
Outcome: Instead of comprehensive policy and the leadership to provide it we have some vague ideas about what makes sense, no clear direction, patchwork regulation, over regulation, under regulation, decisions made on a gut level without supporting facts, a tendency to throw money at the problem with no clear outcomes...etc...etc.
At a Capitol rally in Salem on January 14th of last year newly elected State Attorney General John Kroger stated "there were a number of reasons to oppose pipelines and terminals, but the main concern was dependence on foreign energy.
"For the last 50 years, this country has had no energy policy," he said. "Do you want LNG from Iran and Russia or do you want energy independence?"
The crowd preferred the latter.
Kroger said he was bound to protect Oregon law and wouldn't "twist the law into a pretzel" to deter interested companies, but said he would welcome legislation to make state permitting more stringent."
Kroger is right about the lack of policy that could drive our country in a logical direction. The term "energy independence" is pure political-speak designed as a crowd pleaser. His last comment regarding not twisting the law into a pretzel to deter interested companies has proven to be less than truthful.
Kroger hired Brent Foster to run the environmental law side of the state AG office. Foster, the former head of Columbia Riverkeeper a rabid anti-LNG group, provided advice to permitting agencies that further damages Oregon's business image to say nothing of calling Kroger's operation of the AG's office into question. One wonders just how much more stringent state permitting needs to be? Perhaps it's more an issue of clarity.
This takes us back to where we started.
Without a clear national energy policy on which to build you end up with people like Foster going rogue creating policy that suits their personal view. This doesn't just trickle down. It rushes like a raging torrent down the pipeline impacting our ability to create more taxpayers through job creation.
That's what I think. How about you?
In my view the Bush #43 Admininstration had an excellent energy policy/pla with the exception of a big, sucking ho9le when it came to U.S., current technology, LNG Terminal siting and development...I'll be back... off to softball practice.
ReplyDeleteNever mind that it's highly likely that Bradwood's LNG would have come from ALASKA, or from Australia, a friendly county.
ReplyDeleteBut now, with the new commission being voted in by less than 40% of voters, absolutely nothing will get done anyway for the next 4 years.
Devastating for our County.
49.6% but, apathy always will get you the government you deserve.
ReplyDeleteAnd then there's poor old Canada, our fellow North American Nation Bradwood/NSNG called a "Foreign Country" that Oregon and Washington import their Natural Gas from?
Well, NSNG's golden goose up in Alaska got picked over by Alaska in preference to those Canadian's Trans-Canada Pipeline with a new overland pipeline to Alberta and the U.S. any way.
We best forget the "Us" versus "Them" attitude right away as our future depends on us working as one to assure our future energy needs.
Patrick: This is Oregon. The government will provide. You need not worry.
ReplyDeleteGet with it man!