$400 Billion For Imported Oil Annually, let's do somthing about it

[cemartin]

From the desk of T. Boone Pickens


In the last two weeks we’ve added 22 co-sponsors to the NAT GAS Act, growing our total number of co-sponsors to 112!

Because of you, the NAT GAS Act (H.R. 1835) is gaining momentum and we’re adding new legislative co-sponsors everyday. But we’ve got to keep going.

Click here to email your Member of Congress and ask them to become a co-sponsor of the NAT GAS Act today.

Following is a list of the most recent co-sponsors to sign on. If you see your Member of Congress listed below, let them know you appreciate their commitment to reducing our reliance on foreign oil. These bi-partisan energy champions have joined more than 90 of their colleagues in this fight, and they deserve our thanks.

Rep Parker Griffith [AL-5]
Rep Daniel E. Lungren [CA-3]
Rep Joe Courtney [CT-2]
Rep Christopher S. Murphy [CT-5]
Rep Michael K. Simpson [ID-2]
Rep Phil Hare [IL-17]
Rep Ben Chandler [KY-6]
Rep Ben Ray Lujan [NM-3]
Rep Gregory W. Meeks [NY-6]
Rep Edolphus Towns [NY-10]
Rep Louise McIntosh Slaughter [NY-28]
Rep Heath Shuler [NC-11]
Rep Earl Pomeroy [ND]
Rep Marcy Kaptur [OH-9]
Rep Betty Sutton [OH-13]
Rep John A. Boccieri [OH-16]
Rep Jason Altmire [PA-4]
Rep Bill Shuster [PA-9]
Rep Christopher P. Carney [PA-10]
Rep Robert J. Wittman [VA-1]
Rep Alan B. Mollohan [WV-1]
Rep Cynthia M. Lummis [WY]

Click here to view the full list of co-sponsors.

I’m also working the phones and talking with Members about this legislation and how we get it over the finish line. We’re still working towards our goal of 120 co-sponsors by 11/20 and I know that together we can do it! So Army – keep up the great work!

Please click here to email your Member of Congress and ask them to become a co-sponsor of the NAT GAS Act today.

Until we’ve reached energy independence,

Boone

[rwhyman]

The first thing we need to do is stop selling domestic oil to foreign countries.

[TierraoMuerte]

natural gas is "clean" only in contrast to coal - just as a bacon cheeseburger can be regarded as healthful compared with a double bacon cheeseburger. Per kilowatt of electricity generated, gas releases 55 percent as much carbon as coal. And gas drilling poses a growing threat to our water supplies.
The investigative news organization ProPublica has documented thousands of cases of surface and groundwater contamination caused by drilling in conventional and shale deposits in six states.
In Pennsylvania, which shares the vast, gas-laden Marcellus shale formation with four other states, drilling is expected to generate 19 million gallons of waste water daily by 2011, according to the state's Department of Environmental Protection. The water, which carries both natural and human-made toxins and is up to five times as salty as sea water, puts a heavy burden on water treatment plants. New York residents are working to prevent drilling in the Marcellus formation, because its shale and gas underlie the groundwater source for millions of people downstate.
Meanwhile, major fracturing-fluid manufacturers refuse to reveal their products' ingredients. (Industry leader Halliburton maintains that to compel it to list the chemicals in its products would be an "unconstitutional taking" of its intellectual property.) Investigators have managed to identify many of compounds used in fluids, and many are toxic. Some, including benzene, formaldehyde, 1,4-dioxane, ethylene dioxide and nickel sulfate, are confirmed carcinogens.
The above info came from a piece written by Stan Cox and published by Common Dreams. Natural gas may cut our depedence on foriegn oil in the short term, but does nothing to cut carbon emissions in the longer term, break us of our fossil fuel dependance, or move us towards other alternatives-it will simply keep us marching towards our extinction.

[mr. compassionate]

Originally Posted by rwhyman

The first thing we need to do is stop selling domestic oil to foreign countries.

There are reasons we sell domestic oil and still import. Oil is a commodity and fungible. It's cheaper for us to sell alaskan oil to the Pacific Rim and buy Mideast oil on the east coast. The cost of distributing Alaskan oil to the east coast would simply cost to much.

[raymo]

Originally Posted by mr. compassionate

There are reasons we sell domestic oil and still import. Oil is a commodity and fungible. It's cheaper for us to sell alaskan oil to the Pacific Rim and buy Mideast oil on the east coast. The cost of distributing Alaskan oil to the east coast would simply cost to much.

I understand the concept. But I would rather pay higher gas prices at the pump by shipping Alaskan oil to the east coast one gallon at a time by U.S. citizens and force the gas companys to create more jobs, instead of taking the easy way out and pocketting the money from American's oil. I would call that U.S. economy. Also the foreign countries would not get one red cent.

[rwhyman]

Originally Posted by mr. compassionate

There are reasons we sell domestic oil and still import. Oil is a commodity and fungible. It's cheaper for us to sell alaskan oil to the Pacific Rim and buy Mideast oil on the east coast. The cost of distributing Alaskan oil to the east coast would simply cost to much.

Why can't Alaska oil be shipped to the west coast. They need oil there don't they.
I think the reason is because the oil companies can make more money selling to foreign countries. And we all know the oil companies, just like all mega corporations, don't give a shit about anything but making money.

[raymo]

Originally Posted by rwhyman

Why can't Alaska oil be shipped to the west coast. They need oil there don't they.
I think the reason is because the oil companies can make more money selling to foreign countries. And we all know the oil companies, just like all mega corporations, don't give a shit about anything but making money.

You hit the nail on the head. Alaska oil can be shipped to the east coast, but that would benefit everyone except the oil corporations. The money would be too easy to track if oil companys did not have all the smoke and mirrors to hide behind.

[cemartin]

So we still account for 25 percent of the world's oil consumption and we only have approximately 3 percent of the world's reserves. We're on track to import 70 percent of our oil by 2020 at even higher world prices. We already buy $400 billion dollars worth of imported oil annually. We can talk about where the oil is going (the far east or the east US coast), but it really seems to come down to finding alternatives. I believe that Pickens plan is a great start because we can utilize our large natural gas reserves to fuel our vehicles while investing in a substantial solar and wind infrastucture. Hopefully we can rid ourselves of all processes that are less environmentally friendly, but it's not happening tomorrow. Please give your support to this plan by writing your congressman. This is one large way we can regain our economic strength.

pickensplan.com

[cemartin]

I completely agree that we need to focus on alternative energy. That's the reason why this plan proposes to heat our homes and buildings using solar and wind. Therefore there is actually a carbon reduction benefit. It doesn't really matter carbon wise whether we burn carbon from Saudi Arabia or carbon domestically produced. The fact is that today we are dependent on fossil fuels, and it would be greatly in our interest NOT to spend $400 billion a year for foreign fuel. We can put people to work here instead of elsewhere. I drive a Hybrid car, and I hope to purchase the Chevy Volt within the next few years that goes 40 miles without any gasoline.

As for pollution resulting from oil and gas development, I can attest that there are definitely legitimate cases. In fact, I worked to clean up a few of them over the years. However, I still think that the benefits are worth the risks, provided that strict oversight is maintained over the industry. For better or worse, things take time to progress (we won't have clean energy over night), but I believe that natural gas powered cars and homes heated with solar and wind is a great start.

[cemartin]

If we use the same amount of oil, does it matter that we sell some oil and then buy the same amount to offset the amount imported? Is the price of oil consistent throughout the world?