February 2011 Archives

What should President Obama do, if anything, in reaction to rising oil prices?

As Middle East unrest continues and the summer driving season nears, oil prices will likely remain high, and some are worried that the U.S. could see a repeat of the 2008 oil crisis and the same bruising congressional debate over gas prices and offshore drilling. We're seeing signs of that already. Republicans are calling on the administration to expedite drilling permits, which remain at a standstill after the BP oil spill. Democrats, meanwhile, are calling on Obama to tap into the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

Should Obama take any concrete steps, such as using oil in the SPR or speeding up the permitting process, in response to oil prices? What, if anything, can Congress do to help the situation? Given that no one single action will immediately lower prices, what are some long-term policy initiatives that could soothe the oil markets and reduce America's dependency on oil?

18 responses: Daniel Gatti, Kateri Callahan, Marilyn Heiman, Thomas J. Pyle, Peter Lehner, Bill Dickenson, Rodger Schlickeisen, Bob Dinneen, Carl Pope, Robbie Diamond, Brent Erickson, David Kreutzer, Frank O’Donnell, Christine Parthemore, David Holt, Bill Snape, Tom Buis, William O'Keefe

Editor's Note: this week Tom Kuhn, president of the Edison Electric Institute, is providing the question.

We face numerous energy policy challenges as a nation, but perhaps none looms larger right now than energy security. The recent and ongoing instability in the Middle East is yet another reminder that the United States remains heavily dependent on foreign nations--not all of them friendly--to meet much of our energy needs. In my view, energy security, along with the move towards cleaner energy, is the number one policy challenge facing the United States.

Can we "kick the oil habit?" That's been a popular topic in Washington, as well as an elusive goal, for many years. In reality, oil will continue to have an important place in our energy mix. But we do need to dramatically expand efforts to harness our domestic energy resources. The transformation of the nation's transportation fleet to one fueled in large part by domestically-produced electricity can gradually help wean the United States from its dependence on foreign energy sources.

As one of 15 Consumer Advisory Board members for the Chevy Volt, I've had the good fortune to test out one of the cars that will change the way America drives--and where it gets its fuel. The first wave of PEVs already is hitting major US markets, as car manufacturers join utilities in embracing electricity as a significant transportation fuel.

So, what happens next? There is bipartisan support for EVs in Congress, as well as support from the national security community. President Obama has set a goal of 1 million electric vehicles on the road by 2015. How close can we get? What are the biggest hurdles, and what do you see as the biggest potential benefits?

24 responses: Robbie Diamond, Tom Kuhn, Tom Amontree, Brian Wynne, Brian Wynne, Amy Harder, Tom Stricker, Bill Johnson, Mark Cooper, Phyllis Cuttino, Amy Harder, Peter Lehner, Tom Kuhn, Bruce Pasfield, Allen Schaeffer, Thomas J. Pyle, Brent Erickson, Amy Harder, Denise Bode, Brian Wynne, Marlo Lewis, Carl Pope, Charles Drevna, William O'Keefe

President Obama's budget proposal invests billions of dollars in clean energy and repeals oil and gas subsidies to pay for some of it. In a stark contrast, House Republicans are pushing legislation that would slash billions of dollars in clean energy research and development and entire programs within the Environmental Protection Agency.

Obama's budget probably won't pass Congress, especially the elimination of oil and gas subsidies, which Obama has proposed in past budgets. It's equally unlikely the House Republicans' plan will pass the Senate. Nonetheless, the proposals embody the priorities of Obama and the GOP and lay the foundation for a partisan budget battle over policy.

What investments--and spending cuts--should Obama make in areas of energy and environment policy? What proposals should both parties in Congress consider? Would the clean energy investments Obama is proposing be enough to spur a green economy?

12 responses: Steve Bolze, Amy Harder, Richard Revesz, Mark Muro, Gary Fazzino, Rhone Resch, Kateri Callahan, Thomas J. Pyle, Jonathan H. Adler, Brian Wynne, Marilyn Heiman, William O'Keefe

Should lawmakers delay, preempt, or defend President Obama's climate-change regulations?

Various pieces of legislation were introduced last week to address greenhouse-gas emissions. Republicans in both chambers of Congress are pushing a permanent repeal of the Environmental Protection Agency's regulatory power over carbon emissions. Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., and other moderate Democrats are seeking a two-year delay in the rules. Additional proposals are likely to be thrown into the mix. On Wednesday, the House Energy and Commerce Committee holds its first hearing on draft legislation that would preempt EPA's regulations.

How should Congress deal with the various pieces of legislation on carbon rules? What significance will Wednesday's hearing hold? How do public-health and economic considerations factor in? How should Congress address those aspects of the debate?

13 responses: Ned Helme, Mindy Lubber, Brent Erickson, Amy Harder, Margo Thorning, Frances Beinecke, Thomas J. Pyle, Larry Schweiger, Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., Lance Brown, Bill Snape, Charles Drevna, William O'Keefe