Would you be willing to have Oil Shale mining happen in Utah?
The 9 O'Clock Hour Rundown
Former Congressman Jim Hansen walked Doug through Oil 101. Years ago, oil experts said oil would have to be $38 per barrel before developing oil shale would become profitable. The technology is there, and now the market is ready, but extreme environmentalists set the agenda in Congress.
Contrary to what some callers tell Doug, developing oil shale takes only a miniscule amount of electricity and very little water. Hansen said right now we could develop oil shale for $50-60 a barrel, and bring ourselves closer to energy independence, something we desperately need. The money we spend on foreign oil doesn’t go to the middle class. It does go hostile militaries and terrorism.
Doug read an e-mail from a listener who said she felt like no matter what she did, the oil companies would keep the rates up and nothing would change. Doug sympathized with her, but said we can’t give up on throttling back. We can hold feet to the fire and push for smart energy policies.
Doug always hears blowhards claim oil shale development and ANWR drilling will have no immediate effect on oil prices. Really Sherlock? That’s more of a reason to start now, not throw in the towel.
One caller mentioned the 68 million acres the oil companies own off the cost that they aren’t developing. Doug agreed the oil companies share some of the blame for taking the path of least resistance and refusing to fight the environmentalists. However, the government has the responsibility to get out of the way and let business work.
Doug said The environment in Washington is too toxic to make any progress. Democrats could ask their “esteemed Republican colleagues” to admit the sun rises in the East. Republicans could ask Democrats to admit the sun goes down in the West, and there would be a debate and filibusters, simply because nobody wanted to give an inch—and it works both ways.
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