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Like many of you, on my drive to work I notice the price of gasoline at service stations along the way. Last July I saw prices around $4 a gallon here in Nebraska. This week I saw the price of a gallon of E-10 was down to $2.05 a gallon.
That’s good news for Nebraskans and good news for the economy but we shouldn’t get too comfortable because we know that it can easily go back up. In fact, OPEC, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, is preparing to reduce production in order to increase oil prices.
That’s a grim reminder that America must cut its addiction to foreign oil. We cannot afford to remain under the thumb of the 13 member oil cartel which includes Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s Iran and Hugo Chavez’s Venezuela.
Need to Become More Energy Self Sufficient
I am working to create a comprehensive energy plan for America for the new Congress to continue with the effort started this summer by the bi-partisan Gang of 10.
Biofuels
I believe any legislation should provide new investments for the next generation of biofuels made from agricultural wastes such as corn stover, bioenergy crops like switchgrass and other cellulosic materials. We can create homegrown jobs and fuels grown in the Midwest to make us less dependent on oil from the Middle East.
Drill
We also need to expand drilling here at home by proposing new leases for drilling in the Gulf of Mexico where known oil reserves exist, and giving coastal states the power to approve drilling off their shores.
Convert Cars and Trucks to Gain More Energy Independence
Too few of our cars and trucks today run on alternative fuels. Any legislation should set a goal that within a few years a majority of our cars and trucks will operate on non-petroleum fuel. That means more research to develop advanced batteries and more fuel efficient vehicles.
U.S. automakers need help to re-tool to become the world’s leader in alternative-fueled vehicles so the legislation would provide new consumer tax credits to help people buy these new vehicles. With those changes, you could sell your old car, get a tax credit for a fuel-efficient one and run it on biofuels or other renewables.
Leaky Roof Theory
Gas prices have fallen dramatically over the past few months so it would be easy to become complacent and not prepare for the future. But we know that oil prices may rise again and we need to keep our eye on the goal of energy security even when prices are relatively low. I call it the leaky roof theory.
The time to fix the leak in your roof is when it’s not raining so when it does rain, you’re prepared. Well, it’s time to fix the roof before it rains again. This nation needs a comprehensive energy solution.
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