"IF YOU AREN'T AT THE TABLE, YOU'RE ON THE MENU!!!!"

The natural-gas industry, silent on the House energy bill, will target the Senate.
By Mark Jaffe
The Denver Post
Posted: 08/16/2009 01:00:00 AM MDT
Updated: 08/17/2009 08:59:18 AM MDT

The natural-gas industry — after failing to lobby on the energy-climate bill passed by the House — has amassed an $80 million war chest to ensure it gets a piece of the legislation in the Senate.

"The natural-gas industry wasn't at the table," said Josh Dorner, a spokesman for the Sierra Club, an environmental group that lobbied heavily on the bill. "And if you aren't at the table, you're on the menu."

The 1,428-page bill holds something for every key industry — coal, utilities, autos, wind and solar — but nothing for natural gas.

"The natural-gas industry was done in by its own complacency," said Keith Rattie, chief executive of Salt Lake City-based natural-gas producer Questar Inc.

But the industry and its allies are girding for a lobbying blitzkrieg in the Senate.

Colorado Democratic Sens. Mark Udall and Michael Bennet both say they will take up the fight.

Rattie said that in addition to the big money raised, the industry has a new organization, America's Natural Gas Alliance, to fill a lobbying void in Washington.

"We were just setting up when the key House negotiations were underway," said Rod Lowman, the alliance's chief executive.

Right now, the bill's only program for natural gas is a study on the effectiveness of compressed natural gas as a transportation fuel.

The bill includes $60 billion for clean-coal technology, financial incentives for making electric cars and a national renewable-energy standard that would boost demand for wind and solar power.

Link to complete article: http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_13107280

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by KAYBABY on August 17, 2009 at 6:05
Americans for prosperity (website) has been doing Hot air conferences. My brother in law is a journalist and attended the one in Pittsburgh this past wkend. Just say no to global warming!
Permalink Reply by jffree1 on August 17, 2009 at 6:33
Well, FINALLY! Thanks Skip.
Permalink Reply by Mac Davis on August 17, 2009 at 7:36
Remember, the American government runs on bribes. If you aren't paying your bribes making legal campaign contributions, you'll get walked on by the government.

Microsoft discovered this years ago, and their political problems have mostly disappeared.
Permalink Reply by Skip Peel - Mineral Consultant on August 17, 2009 at 10:42
Mac. Elected American officials run on influence. And that's not always campaign contributions. Self preservation (re-election) is the first order of business for Congressional delegates. And no amount of campaign contributions will get them re-elected if their constituents are unhappy and paying attention. When those constituents are complacent/satisfied then an elected representative or senator can play the money game. No amount of campaign contributions will overcome a majority of unhappy and motivated voters back home. And although it doesn't happen nearly as often as it should, voters do throw their elected representatives out of office when they appear unresponsive to the issues that count back home.
Permalink Reply by Rosebud on August 17, 2009 at 12:16
Clever discussion title, Skip! I can't help believing many American voters feel like they've awakened over the past few months - controversial programs that affect every man, woman and child in this country have spurred personal interest in how our governments works more seriously than I've ever witnessed before. Too often in the past unhappy constituents have too often felt like their individual voice wouldn't be heard but united it's a different story altogether.

As unsettling and frustrating as a lot of our political concerns have been this year, if they've altered the mindset of complacent American voters, it'll have been worth the strife. I think we're all getting a refresher course in paying attention.
Permalink Reply by Dorcheated A1 on August 17, 2009 at 12:23
Rosebud,

Nicely Done.
Permalink Reply by Dorcheated A1 on August 17, 2009 at 12:29
The bottom line is this government has been talking for months about new energy alternatives. The largest one in the world is right under their noses, and they can't see it.
Makes me want them to handle all of my business.
Permalink Reply by Skip Peel - Mineral Consultant on August 17, 2009 at 12:24
Rosebud. Time spent communicating informed concerns to elected representatives is a primary tenant of democracy. Campaign contributions carry more weight when constituent interest is low. Or nonexistent. Votes trump dollars!
Permalink Reply by Mac Davis on August 17, 2009 at 14:03
Votes trump dollars!

Not quite true. There's a conversion factor. d=rv

i.e. 1 dollar = r votes

The value of the variable "r" varies. It takes a certain number of votes to counteract a certain number of dollars.

The dollars can be either campaign contributions, direct bribes, political ads, etc.

For instance, see:

http://www.grist.org/article/2009-08-03-forged-climate-bill-letters...
Permalink Reply by SharonB T18N R15W S8 on August 18, 2009 at 3:13
I wouldn't call Mr. Pickens and his supports complacent. He has been padding pockets a long time why isn't anybody listening to the Pickens plan! At least a study for transportation purposes should be fruitful.
Permalink Reply by P.G. on August 18, 2009 at 3:19
We need to use what ever US resources available to wean us off Arabs!
Permalink Reply by Skip Peel - Mineral Consultant on August 18, 2009 at 3:54
Boone get too much and too little credit. IMO, he set back the case for expanded uses of natural gas in the beginning by giving equal or greater weight to wind energy and his grandiose plans for a new energy grid. Not bad idea,s just not the right time. Since he now has his focus where it belongs, I'll cut him a little slack. However when we debate why it has taken so long for the natural gas industry to get off the bench and in the game, we must recognize that the politics involved with wind (and other alternative energy sources) hindered the early recognition of and support for the huge opportunity that is natural gas in general and shale gas in particular.

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