Energy Policy And Jobs

The Heritage Foundation posted an article on Friday about the impact of high energy prices on jobs in America.  The article points out the obvious fact that America does not have a coherent energy policy--we haven't had one in the past forty years. 

The article states:

"CEA's (Consumer Energy Alliance) study indicates the offshore energy potential of the United States is conservatively estimated at 45 billion barrels of oil and 183 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. That would be enough oil to power 60 million vehicles for 25 years and enough natural gas to heat 60 million American homes for 57 years.

""Demand for oil and natural gas is increasing," said National Ocean Industries Association President Randall Luthi. "Yet we only explore for oil and gas in about 15 percent of the nation's offshore areas -- the same areas that were available when Richard Nixon was president."

"Apart from boosting job creation and steadying oil prices, offshore energy production would garner billions for the U.S. Treasury. Declining production in the Gulf of Mexico alone could cost the federal government more than $1 billion in revenue this year."

Drill, baby, drill. 

Meanwhile, Washington says no.  The article reports:

"Production in the western Gulf of Mexico dropped nearly one-third of a million barrels per day since last April, and the increased production in 2010 is a result of increased horizontal drilling in North Dakota. We can't drill off the Pacific Coast, Atlantic Coast, or the eastern Gulf of Mexico. The U.S. Environmental Appeals Board withheld air quality permits preventing Shell from moving forward to develop 27 billion barrels of oil off the coasts of Alaska. The Environmental Protection Agency already issued two air permits, but Earth Justice filed a petition to review the permits, delaying the process."

If alternative energy is allowed to develop in a free-market environment, it eventually will become practical.  Meanwhile, fossil fuel is the current coin of the realm.  We can accept that fact or we can hurt our economy and the American people by fighting the energy environment in which we currently exist.