LP Gas, May 2011

COLUMNIST LISA BONTEMPO For the sake of security All energy resources play an important role in Americas future E very time I think Ive reached a conclusion about the value of any fuel some new calamity happens that changes everything and causes me to reconsider how I really feel about risk and our countrys energy security As I write the world finds itself in an uncomfortable place as we watch Japan face the worst nightmares of a major earthquake a tsunami and compromised nuclear facilities But it does not end there as leaders of nations across the globe are weighing their political and strategic interests in light of the ongoing Arab Spring and its impact on oil production refining and transportation As a result financial markets continue their rollercoaster rides and fuel and food prices march ever higher As a consumer I want certainty security and affordability in the marketplace As a citizen I want little risk to workers and the environment to ensure health and economic opportunity for the next generations the world over As a voter I tire of the political wrangling on energy issues remember Yucca Mountain and waste disposal that pushes action further down the road Balancing these risks and desires is not easy and might not be possible But we cannot stop trying to move beyond our current untenable position Unfortunately it seems that unless something dire happens to us we fear making the changes that actually might make our country more secure Energy independence is a timeworn phrase that has been abused by both political parties for decades Given our world markets we will never be completely independent and the phrase has been a Like the comic strip Pogo said We have met the enemy and he is us red herring for a long time But maybe if we really think about our countrys needs in terms of security we might be able to move forward in a way that can strengthen and broaden our domestic energy supply and production So lets continue to explore oil off our own coasts even if oil is traded on the world market Lets reconsider approaches to nuclear waste disposal and the latest design for nuclear plants Lets figure out a way to make the burning of coal cleaner Lets streamline our permitting processes Lets strengthen our oversight as technologies allow us to go deeper for natural gas And for goodness sakes lets get serious about renewable energy We can continue to argue about the downsides to any one fuel for any one purpose Some resources will eventually be finite Some energy sources are difficult to store and transmit All have some negative environmental impact or their waste products or transportation do There are various hurdles and time lines to bring the new technologies or production facilities online Together however all of the fuels have an important role to play in America And lets remember the facts America is the largest energy consumer in the world and our rate of consumption continues to increase faster than our rate of production That is not likely to change anytime soon So lets put up wind farms where viable strengthen incentives for solar research development and use acknowledge nuclear waste issues as part of the nuclear power equation address the risks of burning coal without damning one of our greatest resources and lets stop claiming that one or two resources like natural gas are the only ones that can help meet our needs Like the comic strip Pogo said We have met the enemy and he is us Americans need to take seriously what our world would look like if we didnt have access to oil supplies from abroad Lets stop demonizing specific fuels and find a way to use the right resources on our own land in the geography that makes the most sense If we cant make solar energy work in Arizona and wind farms off our coasts and in the Midwest then shame on us Regardless of the choices we make one day we will have our own earthquake in an area we didnt predict Three Mile Island happened the Gulf Coast oil leaks happened the Exxon Valdez spill happened and other catastrophes will happen Mother Nature is unpredictable and humans are fallible But what is predictable is that a failure to make better choices to create energy security in the United States because we fear risk will lead to a man made catastrophe and thats a risk we cant afford LPG Lisa Bontempo was a longtime energy lobbyist including 13 years with NPGA She remains involved in national politics and can be reached by e mailing lisabontempo@ msn com 42 LPGas May 2011 www LPGasmagazine com