Pickens pushes alternative-energy legislation
Pickens pushes alternative-energy legislation
By ROD WALTON World Staff Writer
Published: 1/13/2010 5:56 PM
Last Modified: 1/13/2010 5:56 PM
Congressional leaders should be ready to move soon on legislation that encourages greater use of compressed natural gas in the nation’s heavy-duty fleet vehicles, T. Boone Pickens predicted Wednesday.
Pickens and Center for American Progress Action Fund CEO John Podesta, former chief of staff under President Bill Clinton, updated reporters in a conference call focused on the “Pickens Plan” and the progress of bipartisan natural gas bills that are bottled up in U.S. Senate and House committees. The plan stresses the need for alternatives — such as natural gas, wind and nuclear power — to imported oil as a matter of national security.
Both men hope the bills, introduced last year, will get a full hearing once the health care debate ends. Both pieces of energy legislation, if passed, would offer incentives for automakers to make CNG vehicles for consumers.
“There’s a lot on America’s plate,” Pickens said. “We believe this is the No. 1. post-health care issue.”
The Pickens Plan also will roll out its latest television advertisement on cable stations beginning Thursday. The spot draws a connection between oil-rich nations fomenting anti-U.S. hatred and using natural gas to lessen that dependence.
The plan proposes converting millions of fleet trucks to cleaner-burning and domestically produced natural gas within seven years.
The U.S. imported more than 4.3 billion barrels of oil last year, much of it from hostile nations, Pickens noted. The cost averaged about $1 billion per day, according to reports.
“It’s insane for us to do that,” he said.
“At least half of that money can be retained right here in the U.S.”
The continental U.S. holds more than 100 years’ worth of natural gas reserves, he said, and the fuel already is high-octane and does not need refineries. It’s also about $1 cheaper per gallon equivalent than diesel fuel, he said.
A report released Wednesday by the Center for American Progress Action Fund indicates that 20 percent of the oil imported by the U.S. comes from countries listed as dangerous or unstable by the State Department, Podesta noted. Also, the list does not include Venezuela, a major oil exporter that has seized assets of some U.S. energy companies such as Tulsa-based Williams Cos. Inc.
“It requires immediate attention,” Podesta said of the security risk posed by oil-rich nations.
Pickens, a native Oklahoman, made his fortune in the oil fields but joined Tulsa oilman George Kaiser and others in looking for alternatives in recent years.
U.S. Rep. Dan Boren, D-Okla., is a co-sponsor of House Bill 1835 — otherwise known as the New Alternative Transportation to Give Americans Solutions Act, or NAT GAS. The bill has 87 co-sponsors, including Oklahoma’s other four House members.
Buck
By ROD WALTON World Staff Writer
Published: 1/13/2010 5:56 PM
Last Modified: 1/13/2010 5:56 PM
Congressional leaders should be ready to move soon on legislation that encourages greater use of compressed natural gas in the nation’s heavy-duty fleet vehicles, T. Boone Pickens predicted Wednesday.
Pickens and Center for American Progress Action Fund CEO John Podesta, former chief of staff under President Bill Clinton, updated reporters in a conference call focused on the “Pickens Plan” and the progress of bipartisan natural gas bills that are bottled up in U.S. Senate and House committees. The plan stresses the need for alternatives — such as natural gas, wind and nuclear power — to imported oil as a matter of national security.
Both men hope the bills, introduced last year, will get a full hearing once the health care debate ends. Both pieces of energy legislation, if passed, would offer incentives for automakers to make CNG vehicles for consumers.
“There’s a lot on America’s plate,” Pickens said. “We believe this is the No. 1. post-health care issue.”
The Pickens Plan also will roll out its latest television advertisement on cable stations beginning Thursday. The spot draws a connection between oil-rich nations fomenting anti-U.S. hatred and using natural gas to lessen that dependence.
The plan proposes converting millions of fleet trucks to cleaner-burning and domestically produced natural gas within seven years.
The U.S. imported more than 4.3 billion barrels of oil last year, much of it from hostile nations, Pickens noted. The cost averaged about $1 billion per day, according to reports.
“It’s insane for us to do that,” he said.
“At least half of that money can be retained right here in the U.S.”
The continental U.S. holds more than 100 years’ worth of natural gas reserves, he said, and the fuel already is high-octane and does not need refineries. It’s also about $1 cheaper per gallon equivalent than diesel fuel, he said.
A report released Wednesday by the Center for American Progress Action Fund indicates that 20 percent of the oil imported by the U.S. comes from countries listed as dangerous or unstable by the State Department, Podesta noted. Also, the list does not include Venezuela, a major oil exporter that has seized assets of some U.S. energy companies such as Tulsa-based Williams Cos. Inc.
“It requires immediate attention,” Podesta said of the security risk posed by oil-rich nations.
Pickens, a native Oklahoman, made his fortune in the oil fields but joined Tulsa oilman George Kaiser and others in looking for alternatives in recent years.
U.S. Rep. Dan Boren, D-Okla., is a co-sponsor of House Bill 1835 — otherwise known as the New Alternative Transportation to Give Americans Solutions Act, or NAT GAS. The bill has 87 co-sponsors, including Oklahoma’s other four House members.
Buck
Views: 20
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by intrepid on -
Obama has turned his back on HB 1835 since it first breathed life. Obama has done nothing to support natural gas or the adoption of HB 1835.
If you dispute this just name the things Obama has done in support of our natural gas industry or adopting HB 1835.
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Permalink Reply by intrepid on
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Absoulutely, lethalinjection, but you just waste time trying to discuss anything with Harold. You can tell by his response that he's just hunting for some way to turn the discussion around and away from what Obama hasn't done by misdirecting attention to a straw man.
It says enough to me that Obama hasn't done anything to support natural gas industry and proactive conversion.
I think Obama wants to continue to see billions of American dollars continue to go to his friends and supporters in the middle east unabated.
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Permalink Reply by sesport on
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intrepid - Congress pushes the legislation, with the help of PAC's and constituents voicing concern & opinion. There IS a lot being done with regard to pending bills.
http://www.eei.org/whatwedo/PublicPolicyAdvocacy/washreps/Pages/Ene...
http://www.eei.org/whatwedo/PublicPolicyAdvocacy/washreps/Pages/Add...
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Permalink Reply by intrepid on
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sesport - ya know I luv ya. But, the naked truth is Obama has dropped the ball by letting it go this far without throwing his support to natural gas.
No use in you and I having an argument when we agree about so much regarding the public benefit of converting as much as possible to natural gas.
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Permalink Reply by sesport on
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intrepid - Oh, I wasn't arguing, just posting a list of ALL that IS going on. I seriously doubt that all the money that's being sunk into drilling for ng these days is for nothing, though. Just going to move slow as molassas.
The numbers of those advocating an ng transition are growing both in number and strength of voice. It took XOM a couple years to get on board with us. It takes at least 3-5 years of assessing & adjusting to show significant results. If the O&G companies began to see this as a viable project in 2006 or '07 and started compiling their supportive data, then we're already in year 3 and the decision making will soon be moving, IMO.
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Permalink Reply by intrepid on
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Hopefully we'll be rid of Obama as POTUS before 5 years is up. Then we may have a chance.
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Permalink Reply by intrepid on
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I didn't see anything on those links that Obama is doing in support of the nations natural gas industry, sesport.
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Permalink Reply by sesport on
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intrepid - IF nat gas makes an appearance in some of the bills by virtue of the efforts of our representatives, gets passed into legislation, do you actually think the President would veto it just to sabbotage ng industry? Have you found & read his position on development of US energy resources as they relate to national security?
And, if so, why do you think all this money is being spent, all the drilling activity going on, if the companies think it's a dead end?
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Permalink Reply by P.G. on
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Imagine the good paying jobs creation potential at a very little cost to the government with just the right amount of support from our leaders?
Perhaps maybe Mary, and others, made the wrong deal/s for her/their vote/s considering, huh?
Something is going to be needed to kick start the economy. I'll bet NG could be just that! Not just for Louisiana but all across the country with all these new shale plays!
NG, with it's potential as a catalyst to cross into so many other industries, doesn't appear to be as high on our leader's lists as it should be. That's a shame..
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Permalink Reply by intrepid on
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Butthe big "O" is completely silent with any support. He' actually worked harder at avoiding spoort for the natural gas industry than he has at helping it. What a dunce he is.
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Permalink Reply by sesport on
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hi, intrepid, I've got news for you. lol
The president recently awarded $2.3 billion for manufacturing & jobs involved in green technologies.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/president-obama-awards-2...
Note that PPG, which includes the Lake Charles plant, was awarded some of this money.
"Solar Energy - PPG Industries, Inc. will produce a double anti-reflective coating for glass to make solar cells more efficient. At their Louisiana facility, PPG will produce a special tire tread component that reduces rolling resistance and improves fuel economy. Before the solar industry had begun, PPG pioneered the first low-iron glass that has been used in solar cells and on countless solar installations over the past two decades. Today, this credit will help to expand the manufacture of one of the critical components of glass solar cells, the transparent conductive oxide (TCO) coatings of the glass, without which the cells cannot function. "
This plant has its own cogen power, makes it's own electricity, using ... guess what ... natural gas.
http://www.mcneese.edu/aseegsw/tours.asp
"The tour will also visit PPG's Cogeneration Power Production facility that provides the electricity to run the plant. The Cogeneration Power unit burns natural gas to produce a high volume flow of hot air that turns the power generation units. Once the air passes through the power generation units it is still hot hot enough to flow into a boiler and produce steam that is used to turn additional steam power generation units."
See, the thing is all this green technology is going to have to be manufactured. Look behind the scenes to see what's powering the energy to do their manufacturing.
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