The American public is desperate for solutions, but a national energy tax is not the answer to address climate change. This week, House Republicans unveiled the American Energy Act—a better solution that offers more affordable energy, more good-paying jobs, more energy independence, and a cleaner environment.
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that the cleanest way for utilities to control carbon emissions is to increase their supply of carbon-free nuclear energy. It is imperative that clean, safe nuclear power be at the forefront as we seek to solidify our nation’s energy supply and foster a new era of energy independence and reduced emissions. It defies reality that in the 1,000-page Waxman-Markey cap-and-tax bill focused on reducing emissions that nuclear, the source of 70 percent our nation’s emissions-free electricity, is only mentioned twice. We have got to get our priorities straight.
The American Energy Act charts a new course by laying down a national goal of licensing 100 new nuclear reactors over the next twenty years. With more than 31 announced reactor applications already in the pipeline, this goal can be achieved. Renewing our commitment to nuclear power will also revitalize an entire manufacturing sector, creating hundreds of thousands of jobs.
Our nation must also develop more of our own domestic natural resources, like oil and natural gas. Our bill opens up for exploration the Arctic Coastal Plain as well as environmentally-sound leasing for oil and natural gas in the Outer Continental Shelf and oil shale in the Mountain West. Revenues generated by the sales of leases would be deposited in an Renewable and Alternative Energy Trust Fund to encourage the development of clean, renewable and alternative energy technologies, like wind and solar. Finally, our bill encourages personal responsibility through conservation.
Our commonsense American Energy Act is aimed at more energy production, cheaper fuel bills, more jobs, and greater energy independence, which will also yield a cleaner environment and a more secure nation.
Nuclear is great
Joliphant Friday, June 12th at 5:06PM EDT (link)In terms of electricity generation its as close to perfect as we will see for at least another 100 years. That said we need to develop our coal resources as well. We have three to four hundred years supply of coal in the ground, its criminal to get in the way of its use. Coal liquification is one of the best ways we can free ourselves from oil.
After that there is still offshore resources of Methane Hydrates we have as yet to do anything with.
I am not advocating for the government to do anything to help any of these technologies except maybe stop some of the help that has been doing such damage for so long. The best thing we could do is get the heavy hand of regulation out of these industries (I am well aware of the need to control nuclear material but that is a separate issue) and let the market pick and choose what works best.
“Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it.”
-Thomas Paine: The American Crisis, No. 4, 1777
We could solve most of the waste problem if we engaged in reprocessing
civil_truth Friday, June 12th at 8:36PM EDT (link)It’s been chutzpah: years ago we made a policy to not allow reprocessing in order to send a symbolic message to the rest of the world. Because of that, opponent argue against nuclear because of the waste problem.
But, times have drasatically changed: the nuclear genie is out of the bottle, nuclear technology (peaceful and bomb making) is spreading fast among multiple countries. There’s no rational reason not to start reprocessing.
Though with this administration, anything to solve our energy issues is verboten; rather they want to price energy so high as to bankrupt us all.
And Rightly So!
5-nt
DONTREADONME Friday, June 12th at 8:54PM EDT (link)“The UN is right? you can’t be any more “un”; Than you are right now, the UN is undone, Another mushroom cloud, another smoking gun, The threat is real, the Locust King has come, Don’t tell me the truth; I don’t like what they’ve done, Just give me ammo for the United Abominations”-Megadeth
It is about time. Thank You
bobojake Friday, June 12th at 5:22PM EDT (link)There is a place for solar as a assisting source but it will remain overpriced. Signs along the Interstate where electrical power is not available is an example.
Why should taxpayers have to subsidize paying individuals putting in solar sytems for their power. It seems like its just another government dole to me.
——-
The musem in Denver where obama just had to sign the ARRA(America Rape and Reaping Act) and then obiden had his energy conference 2 or 3 weeks ago had 107 year payoff for its solar system and in it was no maintance and repair for replacing the solar panels during that period.
The farmer gave up wind mills to water their cows and provide house water years ago every chance they got when they got electricity.
Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell of Washington State should be leading the pack in Nuclear Power Construction as in the early 80’s Washington Water Power moth-balled many plants because of the eco-freaks. Its time we spend some money on generating clean energy.
Maybe we should let people check on their electric bill if they want their electricity from solar at say 25 cents a kilowatt or from nuclear at 10 cents a kiliowatt. Customer choice.
You're a dope
jfahy Friday, June 12th at 5:40PM EDT (link)Hello Fred,
We do not need an act from congress on how to supply the future energy needs of this country, Just get the hell out of the way. Private industry can and will provide what we need in terms of nuclear and our own undeveloped fossil fuels if you dopes will just get lost. And yes, the argument needs to be framed in those terms, Not the democrat terms, get tough.
That's Not Nice.
Swamp_Yankee Friday, June 12th at 5:44PM EDT (link)The gentleman is reacing out to the base. Isnt that what we want. Extend him some courtesy.
Not Dead Yet!
jfahy
Vladimir Friday, June 12th at 6:04PM EDT (link)Three snarky comments in over a year, and two of them are directed at congressional Republicans.
You don’t add much to the discussion.
There is no opinion, however absurd, which men will not readily embrace as soon as they can be brought to the conviction that it is generally adopted. - Arthur Schopenhauer
Good ideas but...
DerKrieger Friday, June 12th at 7:13PM EDT (link)if you fail to get the word out then you may as well be pissin’ in the wind. The public has to be behind this, which they would be if they knew.
“In questions of power, let no more be heard of confidence in man, but bind him down from mischief by the chains of the Constitution.” - Thomas Jefferson
“I cannot undertake to lay my finger on that article of the Constitution which granted a right to Congress of expending, on objects of benevolence (OBAMACARE – mine), the money of their constituents.” – James Madison