Parsing Politicians' Pablum -- "All-The-Above-Energy" Solutions

I guess the "all-the-above-energy" solution talk was to be taken in a literal sense: "above ground" energy -- wind, solar, nuclear, and hydroelectric, but NOT fossil fuel ("below ground"):

The Obama administration’s stated all-of-the-above energy strategy favors alternative and renewable sources and discourages fossil fuels, a US House committee chairman charged.

“It’s actually simple: Any energy made above ground counts. Any made underground doesn’t,” Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Darrell E. Issa (R-Calif.) said as the committee began a May 31 hearing on the administration’s energy strategy.

“An all-of-the-above energy strategy can’t succeed on its own,” he maintained. “We need to have an all-of-the-below strategy too.”

I can't make this stuff up. 

Inmates Running the Asylum?

If ever there was a better story ... link here:

Greco said the Clean Air Act requires EPA to determine the mandated volume of cellulosic biofuels each year at “the projected volume available.” However, in 2011 EPA required refineries to use 6.6 million gal of cellulosic biofuels even though, according to EPA’s own records, none were commercially available, Greco said.

Slow-Rolling the Domestic Oil and Gas Industry, Slow-Rolling The American Public

There's a nice op-ed piece in current issue of Investor's Business Daily regarding the administration's war against fossil fuels:

It's true that total domestic oil production was higher in 2011 than in any year since 2002. But the production of fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas) on federal lands fell to a nine-year low in 2011, and crude oil production on federal lands actually fell by 14% in fiscal year 2011, the largest annual decrease in at least a decade.

In other words, the increases in oil production in recent years were largely from drilling on state and private lands, and happened in spite of Obama's restrictive energy policies, not because of them.

Domestic natural gas production has soared by more than 21% since 2005, but has fallen on federal lands by 24% over that period. Like oil, the increases in natural gas production have taken place on state and private lands and have happened because of the significant technological advances in drilling (hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling), and not because of the Obama administration.

Other actions taken by Obama, including rejecting the Keystone XL pipeline, cancelling millions of acres in offshore lease sales, and closing the majority of the Outer Continental Shelf to new energy production for the next five years — demonstrate an administration that is hostile to increasing domestic production of fossil fuels that are critical to America's energy and economic future.

The linked note regarding the Outer Continental Shelf is most interesting: the administration was particularly disingenuous when this "moratorium" was announced. I remember growing up with "Tricky Dick." There is an entirely different approach to political spin in the 21st century, and I think much of it is an outgrowth of lessons learned by urban youth in the 80's and 90's. Cynicism.

The data point regarding the decrease in crude oil production on federal lands is an extremely interesting data point. I do not know "who" first noticed this and first made it known to the American public. It was obviously a government agency that first collected the information (perhaps the EIA) but whether it released a press release or a talking paper on it, I do not know. I do know that I first heard this data point from Newt Gingrich during the GOP presidential nomination race late last year/early this year.

Slow-Rolling the Oil and Gas Industry -- 5-Year Moratorium -- Explore But Don't Drill; Smoke But Don't Inhale

President Obama has learned a lot from President Clinton.

Link here to Yahoo News.

The Obama administration today endorsed new oil and gas exploration along the Atlantic Coast, setting the stage for possible future drilling lease sales.

The announcement by the Interior Department sets into motion what will be at least a five year environmental survey to determine whether and where oil production might occur.

It also comes as President Obama faces mounting pressure over high gas prices and criticism from Republicans that he has opposed more drilling for oil.

 

"Making decisions based on sound science, public input and the best information available is a critical component to this administration's all-of-the-above energy strategy," said Interior Secretary Ken Salazar.

At least a five-year environmental survey to determine w/w oil production MIGHT occur.

A five-year study: a permitorium or a moratorium? Fair and balanced. You decide.

Slow-Rolling US Energy Companies -- Since 2009

Link here to another blog.

I get a lot of comments that take issue with my repeated comment that this administration is slow-rolling the domestic oil and gas industry.

This is one that may be most ominous and would fulfill the president's goal to kill the coal industry:

October 26, 2011: Secretary Salazar announces plan to merge BLM and OSM, an action that could move the coal mining industry one step closer to extinction and cause energy costs to skyrocket.

Nice to see a site I can refer to when I get those comments.

Feds Slow-Rolling the Domestic Oil and Gas Industry -- Utah's Experience

Link here.

"They can say whatever they want," Bill Ryan, an oil-field services consultant, said of an Interior Department that he believes is blocking what could be a much larger industry. "

(President Barack) Obama's administration can say they're pro-development, but they always add 'as long as it's environmentally sound.' They're using the environmental argument to hamper development."

While state lawmakers threaten a long-shot legal bid to own Utah's federal lands and prime the petroleum pump, the congressional delegation rails against an administration it calls anti-energy.

"We're seeing more exploitation of state and private lands just because companies are seeing that it's getting more difficult on federal lands," said John Baza, director of the Utah Division of Oil, Gas and Mining.

'Nuf said.