Energy

Over the past year or so gas prices have increased significantly, no big news to those who pay the bills every month. There has been significant outcry from ... well most everyone it seems, for the Federal Government to do something to limit/lower the price of gasoline and other energy sources; natural gas, electricity etc.

This outcry apparently prompted our elected officials to pass sHB 6906, an energy bill that has, apparently, been stalled for the last 4 years, for what ever reason.

I wanted to take a took a look at the recently passed bill but found it to be 1100+ pages of less than comprehensible language. So I went to the web in search of summaries of the bill. It's tough to find a reasonably non-biased summary BTW. I wanted to get an idea of what the bill attempts to accomplish and how it will attempt to do it.

Here is the long and short of it is, from my viewpoint at lease:

• Reduce consumption by providing tax incentives for use of energy efficient technologies (a good thing) and to increase efficiency standards over the next several years (also a good thing though the time table is a bit slow).
• To sure up the current electricity grid and mandate access to the grid for consumer generated power. (good specially coupled with tax breaks for the technology to do so)
• To reduce restrictions on Oil and Natural Gas exploration in places like Alaska. (Mixed bag for me; Historically bad environmental impacts vs.. exploiting known existing energy sources for short term consumption)
• Provisions to facilitate Nuclear power production and new plant constructions (Mixed, mostly due to inherent risks in this technology and the dilemma of what to do with the waste.)
• Investment in development of alternative, clean energy sources. And release of this technology to the private sector. (Very good, Though my question is what took them so long)
• Extension of Daylight Savings time. (Fine, adjust the clock to minimize energy consumption ONE TIME. Have it be year round and quit messing with it!)
• Increase use of Alternative Gasoline additives; ethanol etc..
• There were SOME provisions for reduction of pollution, and more specifically, greenhouse gases etc.

Overall I don't have a problem with the bill. There are some things I disagree with, some stupid "pork belly" provisions etc. but it is a start.

I have my own amendments that I would add to the bill:

A Significant increase in energy consumption taxes, particularly the Gasoline tax, phased in over the next 10 years. The purpose being to use economic pressures to reduce energy consumption. And to fund development of and subsidies for public transportation and the research and development of new efficient technologies and energy sources. Tax incentives and other provisions would be implemented to reward/reduce financial impacts on industries that inherently reduce energy consumption for others. E.G. Airlines, Trains, Commercial trucking etc.. Low income individuals would receive tax benefit or subsidies for use public transportation and electricity/heating oil etc.. And a few (very few) core infrastructure industries, like farming and energy producers would also receive tax breaks/subsidies.

It may be painful, but this is the ONLY way Americans will reduce consumption, when they can no longer afford to pay for it. In the 70's cars became more efficient. Not because Detroit wanted to be more environmentally friendly, but because gas prices caused consumers to buy more efficient cars and market pressures caused a shift in the products being developed; more fuel efficient cars.

Secondly, legislate reduction or freezing of domestic oil and natural gas production. At least reduce the increase of production. The intent here is to extend the availability of domestic energy resources further into the future, to give more time for the country and the economy to move to alternative energy sources. As it is, some estimate that the US we will deplete our domestic reserves in less than 50 years. (If not sooner. I can't find where I read that figure)

I am economically ignorant. There are plenty of holes in my suggestion I am sure. But I believe the basic concepts are sound. If you disagree, tell me what I am missing.