See today’s energy links critical to our readers, courtesy of 1) Consumer Energy Alliance, and 2) Larry Persily, former Alaska gas pipeline Federal Coordinator, and American Energy Alliance. |
Commentary on Chris Nelson’s Op-Ed Please let our energy decisions be based on a “just and reasonable” standard of merit and logic, not ever-shifting political winds by How could common sense Americans disagree with Chris Nelson’s common sense outrage against Quebec hypocrites and enviro-activist stonewalling of TransCanada’s Energy East project? (i.e. left column) After all, we Americans saw the environmental lobbies on both sides of the North American border team up with a politically motivated U.S. Administration to destroy TransCanada’s Keystone XL pipeline project — along with hundreds of thousands of jobs. Even tossing in activist success against Shell’s Alaska OCS exploration and the lost Alaska potential for world class wealth production and employment reveals just the tip of the iceberg. Who can deny that the wolves are becoming increasingly successful at breaching the ramparts to destroy fossil energy projects and capitalism itself? Yes, the rampaging, fundraising, grant seeking wolves of environmental imperialism are circling North American wealth producing, private enterprises … for a reason. As those well-coordinated community organizers succeed, they reduce free enterprise opposition to their control. Capitalism is under assault, being dismantled little by little without notice by an unaware, too trusting populace. Eliminating traditional free enterprise opposition further fortifies captains of the enviro-industrial-governmental cabal, sustaining: 1) their power, 2) the bureaucratic growth of entitled hordes that vote for them, and 3) the steady march toward total socialist control over the means, allocation, marketing and distribution of wealth. Never forget that the very foundation of North American wealth is fossil fuel energy exploration, development, transportation and marketing. It is superior to all other economic endeavors, being critical to commercial fishing, timber industries, coal and hard rock mining, manufacturing, education, construction, transportation, retailing, tourism and national defense … and, even government enterprises. Always remember, too, that alternate energy schemes depend on fossil fuel to sustain their own operations when the wind doesn’t blow and the skies are dark. Take wind generation; it depends on commodities mined from the ground, and is transported, erected and maintained with fossil energy; and hydro-energy requires dams and manufactured generation derived from mining the ground with fossil energy; and solar energy depends on mining, manufacturing, transportation and installation of its complex apparatus — courtesy of fossil fuels. (Pa-lease: Let us not allow our less studied friends to believe that electric cars obtain energy from electric batteries or a garage wall plug; for, the electricity source is dependent — along with every component of the car — on fossil fuel energy and/or petrochemical support, even if part of it comes from fossil enabled nuclear or geothermal sources.) And one should never forget the essential role fossil energy plays in supporting consumer interests: maintaining 24 hour security of power generation and space heating/cooling supplies, at the lowest costs Virtually all of the high-cost energy alternatives at some point in their life spans require consumer and fossil fuel taxes to subsidize or otherwise protect their development and/or monopoly markets. Come on. Is that fair, just, reasonable — or intelligent? And, lastly, the hypocritical public officials who oppose “Just and Reasonable” fossil energy project decision making with raw politics are committing huge public policy blunders–ignorantly or mindfully. Those rejecting just and reasonable (i.e. “rule of law”) fossil fuel decision making in the name of “climate change, global warming, an ‘abundance of caution’ or other alibis”, are either ignorant of the realities laid out above or treacherously aware of their effort to undermine the public interest in pursuit of their own accumulation of power. To not embrace the logic and reality of these facts is to support the destruction of North America’s way of life and freedom itself. -dh |
Calgary Herald Op-ed by Chris Nelson (below) is a true public service. Also note: TransCanada continues to see its wealth producing capability reduced by the environmental assault. -dh
Oh, I wanted to be a gunslinger so badly as a young lad.
Back then, you could buy all sorts of replica guns: the Colt 45, a German luger, police-issue magnums — the list was almost endless, and on the eve of every birthday or Christmas, I’d eye the tightly wrapped presents, trying to deduce which parcel might contain a new issue.
Of course, we never saw a real gun. This was early 1960s Britain, and only the likes of the nasty Kray twins, down there in smoky London town, ever had need and use of such vile things.
Fast-forward half a century and the reverse is true — real ones abound, but getting to grips with a replica luger? Oh, forget it. Parents, police and airline busybodies would have a fit and drag any 10-year-old off for a series of meetings with your friendly neighbourhood psychologist, followed inevitably by a course of Ritalin and suggested deep-breathing yoga exercises.
Still, when Premier Rachel Notley mentioned gunslingers the other day, my adrenalin spiked. Sadly, Rachel let me down by adding she’s keeping her weaponry in its holster.
The oh-so-reasonable comments came after the latest salvo from Quebec, in which their politicos are invoking an injunction against the Energy East pipeline project in yet another camouflaged attempt to prevent it from ever touching the sacred soil of la belle provence.
Nothing to get too concerned about, says our premier, because it’s just a parallel process and won’t cause extra delays.
But just when you despair of ever seeing a good, old-fashioned showdown, a slight whiff of gun smoke emerges. Word out of Edmonton is Alberta won’t buy B.C.’s excess electricity until we get some pipeline love thrown our way. It’s not exactly the O.K. Corral, but it’s a start.
Still, the strategy on our Eastern Front continues to be talk nice and be reasonable to the powers that be in Quebec. Maybe indeed this latest injunction silliness is just legal semantics, though I don’t buy that for a moment. We’re dealing with political poker playing experts, and they’ve just tossed another bunch of chips into the pot while we play Go Fish at a separate table, despite our economy being in play.
So, harking back to my would-be gunslinger days, here’s a suggestion: Slap an injunction on Videotron.
For years, Ottawa has pushed for a fourth telecommunications outfit with clout enough to enter the ring in which Rogers, Bell and Telus currently flourish. Good for competition and therefore a deal for us digital consumers — so far, so good.
Videotron recently paid a big wad of cash to buy spectrum — gobbledygook for space to operate — right here in Alberta. Those boyos want to expand across Canada from their Quebec base as, thanks in part to our oil and gas revenues, we’re a lucrative market.
Fair enough. Except Videotron is owned by Quebecor, which is the plaything of the Peladeau family, the scion of which happens to be Pierre Karl — such a lovely gentleman to be in a room with — who’s also the leader of the Parti Quebecois.
The same fellow recently declared Quebec should be its own country. So hey, what’s with that Rachel? Do we want a major carrier of our data to be owned by potential foreigners? No damn way, I say. Not here in Alberta. Slap an injunction on that sucker quicker than you can say poutine with extra cheese.
Now perhaps such a legal manoeuvre hasn’t a hope of succeeding. Undoubtedly, it is simplistic and rather nasty and totally outside the bounds of nation building. Do this type of thing and suddenly, the Ontario NDP won’t be selling tickets for a meet and greet with Alberta’s princess any longer.
But gunslingers don’t give a darn about that. When someone draws on you, then pull out both guns and let ‘em see your calibre.
Chris Nelson is a Calgary writer.
CEA In the News & On the Ground
CEA Launches Offshore Call to Action: In advance of the pending release of the Proposed 2017-2022 OCS Oil and Gas Leasing Program, CEA on Friday launched a Call to Action urging supporters to sign a letter to Interior Sec. Jewell urging her to maintain the Mid- and South Atlantic as well as the Gulf of Mexico and Alaska in the Proposed Program. The Call to Action notes the benefits to consumers from access to domestic energy sources, including impacts on household budgets and jobs, economic activity, and public revenue. The Call to Action also urges the Interior Department to promptly issue the approvals necessary for Atlantic seismic surveys to begin, and underscores support for expanding federal revenue-sharing to any state with oil and gas leasing in adjacent federal waters. Please take a moment to signyour name to the letter, and forward this link on to any friends and colleagues who might be interested in registering their support.
CEA Urges Georgians to Convey Support for Offshore Development: CEA is continuing its Call to Action urging Georgia affiliates and grassroots members to convey their support for offshore conventional energy development in the Southeast by participating in an online poll issued earlier this month by U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter (GA). Rep. Carter’s poll seeks to gauge support for offshore oil and gas development in the region.
CEA Energy 101 in Atlanta, GA: As part of its Energy 101 Legislative Briefing Series, CEA held a state legislator briefing in Atlanta last week hosting members of the Georgia General Assembly. In the course of the event, speakers discussed the Clean Power Plan’s implication for Georgia’s consumers and electricity generation, as well as the importance of maintaining the state’s nuclear fleet. CEA’s Brent Greenfield also provided an update on the draft proposed plan for Atlantic offshore exploration.
The next Energy 101 briefing is scheduled for March 22nd in Harrisburg, PA. For more information on CEA’s Energy 101 Legislative Briefing Series, please contact Brydon Ross atbross@consumerenergyalliance.
CEA Discusses Colorado’s BLM Methane Rule: Following last week’s public meeting where the Bureau of Land Management received opinions on its proposed methane rule, CEA’s Chief Operating Officer Andrew Browning stresses the negative effects the rule will have on an already struggling industry, including increased costs and decreased production. The proposed methane rule is aimed to address venting, flaring and leaking related to oil and gas development activity.
CEA Weighs in on Bittersweet Reality of Cheap Fuel: In a recent op-ed, CEA President David Holt discusses how low fuel prices benefit energy-intensive industries like manufacturing, agriculture and transportation. However, Holt identifies two primary factors, an erratic regulatory regime and the current state of the economy, which are weakening the positive effects cheap fuel brings to such industries and all energy consumers in general.
Updates from The Energy Voice
The Ins and Outs – and Turns – of the Petroleum Supply Chains
The petroleum industry is the lifeblood of our modern world, producing the electricity that charges your cell phone, the gas that heats your stove, and the fuel that powers your car’s engine. It’s also equally important to our country’s economic development, its job creation efforts, its global competitiveness, and its energy independence. But the industry is […]
When it comes to energy production, Alaska continues to be a major leader, but not quite the clear-cut front-runner it once was. In fact, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimates that the state, once a national and global leader in the petroleum industry, has seen its level of production drop from 1.8 million barrels per […]
Report from Washington, DC
Both Houses of Congress were in session last week, and Senate leadership continued to seek ways to pass its energy bill. Most federal attention centered on the presidential election and ‘Super Tuesday’ where Ted Cruz gained some ground on GOP front runner Donald Trump. Trump and Hilary Clinton established themselves as early favorites to win their respective party’s nominations. A fear of Trump’s eventual nomination has prompted GOP leadership to consider a brokered convention and has them calling for a smaller field of candidates.
The Supreme Court also garnered attention when Chief Justice Roberts denied a stay requested by the 20 states suing EPA over its Mercury and Air Toxics Standards. Roberts did not give a reason for his decision but many assume that it was predicated on a lack of irreparable harm as the rule’s legal deficiencies will be remedied within the month.
Other Items of Interest:
Murkowski at CERAWeek: Access to Energy Resources is Essential to Nation’s Prosperity: On February 26th, Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) delivered a speech on the importance of access to energy resources at IHS’s CERAweek, the world’s premier energy summit.
Senator Barbara Boxer Sends Letter to Speak Paul Ryan on House FAA Reauthorization Bill: On February 26th, Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) sent a letter to Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) thanking him for not advancing the FAA Reauthorization bill.
EPA Funds Small Businesses to Develop Environmental Technologies: On February 29th, the Environmental Protection Agency announced eight contracts to small businesses to develop innovative technologies to protect the environment, funded through EPA’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program.
House Unanimously Passes Bipartisan Nuclear Energy Bill: On February 29th the House of Representatives unanimously approved the Nuclear Energy Innovation Capabilities Act (H.R. 4084), a bipartisan bill to support federal research and development and stimulate private investment in advanced nuclear reactor technologies in the United States.
DOE Announces $80 Million in Funding to Increase SuperTruck Efficiency: On March 1st, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Transportation Reuben Sarkar announced SuperTruck II, an $80 million funding opportunity, subject to congressional appropriations, for research, development and demonstration of long-haul tractor-trailer truck technology.
Obama Administration Announces New Chair of Restore Council and Reaffirms Commitment to Gulf Region: On March 1st the Obama Administration announced that the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council chair position will rotate from U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, effective March 2016.
Subcommittee Highlights Innovative, Voluntary Conservation Practices: On March 1st, Rep. Glenn Thompson (R-PA) held a hearing to highlight the unique and innovative conservation practices that farmers and ranchers are voluntarily utilizing to conserve and protect natural resources.
#SubEnergyPower Examines Pipeline Safety Reauthorization: On March 1st, the House Energy and Power Subcommittee held a hearing examining a discussion draft of a bill to reauthorize the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s (PHMSA) pipeline safety program.
Members Blast DOI Budget Failures, Lack of Transparency and Regulatory Excesses: On March 1st, members of the House Committee on Natural Resources raised numerous concerns about the President’s 2017 fiscal year budget proposal for the Department of the Interior during an oversight hearing with DOI Secretary Sally Jewell.
Inhofe, Capito, Barrasso Request GAO to Examine NRC’s Use of RAIs: On March 1st, Senators Inhofe (R-OK), Capito (R-WV), and Barrasso (R-WY) sent a letter to Gene L. Dodaro, comptroller general of the Government Accountability Office (GAO), requesting information regarding the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (NRC) use of requests for additional information (RAI).
BLM Takes Key Steps to Expedite Solar Energy Development on Public Lands: On March 2nd, the BLM announced key milestones in implementing the Western Solar Plan with the release of mitigation strategies to expedite the safe and responsible development of solar energy zones in Colorado, Arizona and Nevada. The strategies apply a landscape-level approach to managing development in designated areas, known as Solar Energy Zones or SEZs, on public lands.
#SubEnergyPower Questions Moniz on DOE Budget: On March 2nd, the Energy and Power Subcommittee held a hearing examining the Department of Energy’s Fiscal Year 2017 budget request. Members asked Secretary Ernest Moniz a variety of questions related to the department’s budget.
DOI Agencies Under Fire for Rampant Energy Regulation, Killing Jobs: On March 2nd, the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources questioned witnesses from the three federal agencies on the President’s 2017 budget and the Administration’s overly-prescriptive federal regulations. The panel included representatives from BOEM, BSEE, and the BLM.
Sen. Murkowski: Innovative Technologies Transforming Rural Communities: On March 2nd, Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) welcomed an up to $1.54 million grant that the DOE awarded to promote the development of a marine hydrokinetic project in Igiugig, Alaska. The development of the technology associated with the project could ultimately help lower energy costs in rural communities across the state.
Sen. Murkowski Releases Third CRS Analysis of Obama’s Oil Tax: On March 3rd, Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) released a new analysis by the Congressional Research Services of the Obama Administration’s proposed tax on oil. The report outlines a list of significant unanswered questions and ambiguities in the proposal.
States Report
Constitutional Amendment for Renewable Energy on Ohio’s Ballot: A proposed constitutional amendment for a $13 billion annual allocation over a 10-year period for wind, solar, geothermal and other renewable energy project investments will be on Ohio’s ballot for the fifth time this fall. The Ohio Clean Energy Initiative intends to appropriate the annual investment towards infrastructure projects and alternative energy research.
Pennsylvania Regulators Suggest New Drilling Rules: Representatives from Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection suggested during an educational presentation that new regulations for drilling activities should be expected this year.
West Virginia Lawmakers Advance Lower Severance Tax Bill: The West Virginia State Senate haspassed legislation intending to lower severance taxes on the coal industry, while also approving an amendment to include the natural gas industry in the measure. Proponents of S.B. 705 are hopeful that the legislation will aid the industries’ competitiveness amid significant commodity price declines and regulatory pressures.
Energy & Economy Report
U.S. Supreme Court Refuses to Block EPA’s Mercury Rule: Despite pressure from a 20-state coalition requesting the Supreme Court to issue a stay on the EPA’s mercury power plant rule due to the agency’s failure to consider costs associated with implementing the new regulations, Chief Justice Roberts hasissued an order rejecting the effort to block the regulation.
2016 Expected to be a Record Year for Solar: The Energy Information Administration is predicting 2016 to be an extraordinary year for the solar sector, anticipating it to encompass more electricity-generating capacity than any other resources.
Texas Production Expected to Contract in 2016: Low oil prices are showing their impact in Texas, and industry analyses expect the downturn to continue until there is a “meaningful recovery.”
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