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In
the United States of America, January 20, 2007
American
Energy Security
Declaration
of Energy Independence
Whereas, the United States of
America has the domestic natural resources, the technologies, the human
resources and the financial capital to become energy secure and independent
with respect to liquid transportation fuels; and
Whereas, the security of our country is
now at risk from substantial and growing dependence on imported petroleum
products; and
Whereas, energy independence is in our
country’s best economic and national security interests; and
Whereas, the United States
currently imports approximately sixty percent of its petroleum needs and
nearly half of these imports come from highly unstable regions and countries;
and
Whereas, imports are projected to grow to
over seventy percent by the year 2025 unless the United States changes its
policy for producing domestic liquid transportation fuels; and
Whereas, for more than two-hundred
years, the United States of America has enjoyed freedom and
independence and has served as an example to the rest of the world; and
Whereas, dependence on foreign sources of
oil threatens the economic stability and the security of the United States;
and
Whereas, the United States of America is
now dependent on imported oil to power cars, trucks, trains and planes, as
well as homes, schools, hospitals, military and factories; and
Whereas, implementation of high
impact programs to produce a full portfolio of alternative domestic liquid
transportation fuels, that can and should be manufactured from coal, oil
shale, biomass and from non-conventional oil and gas should be developed using
environmentally responsible technologies such as gasification and
Fischer-Tropsch fuels synthesis, biomass pyrolysis, cellulosic and
grain-based ethanol production, biodiesel refining, oil shale retorting and
upgrading and carbon dioxide injection and storage in declining oil and gas
fields to enhance recovery; and
Whereas, economic, homeland security,
energy and environmental benefits from an aggressive, comprehensive domestic
alternative liquid fuels program are overwhelmingly favorable in stark contrast
to the consequences of inaction which threaten the independence and security
of the United States; and
Whereas, the deployment of a
full portfolio of domestic alternative fuel production facilities across the
United States can be a primary objective to eliminate dependence on foreign
oil and still provide for the substantial and growing needs of this great
Country; and
Whereas, the United States has maintained
its freedom and independence through industrial and military strength; and
Whereas, abundant natural resources,
technology, skilled workforce and financial capital are necessary to assure a
strong and growing domestic economy and to reestablish true American security
and independence.
Now, therefore, the undersigned submit
the following:
1.
Political instability in the Middle East, Africa and South America render a
sizable portion of U.S. oil supplies unreliable. China’s and India’s
rapid growth and aggressive efforts to secure world oil supplies have created
substantial new demand and price pressures on world markets.
2.
Petroleum imports are the single largest cause of the Nation’s negative
balance of trade, and oil price spikes are a major cause of inflation and
economic slowdown. U.S. oil imports totaled approximately $250 billion,
or $680 million per day, in 2005. The average direct and indirect costs
to the U.S. economy have been estimated to total about $315 billion per year.
U.S. military costs alone to protect oil supplies around the world are in the
billions and, even with this unprecedented effort, supplies are still highly
vulnerable to attack.
3.
Potential supply disruptions from embargos, natural disasters, international
regional instability and global production shortfalls present grave risks
that America must address. Today’s high energy costs can go much
higher with little warning. High prices affect everyone, especially
those who can least afford them.
4.
The tremendous costs and risks to America resulting from dependence on imported
oil are becoming more evident every day. Yet, the breadth and depth of
opportunities now available to reduce and ultimately eliminate American
dependence are not well understood.
5.
The United States has trillions of tons of indigenous fossil energy resources
and agricultural bio-fuels capacity that collectively rival total worldwide
conventional oil resources. The American Energy Security Study shows
that domestic resources can be converted to clean alternative transportation
fuels in sufficient volume to eliminate dependence on petroleum imports by
the year 2030, if aggressive programs begin now.
6.
Clean technologies exist to produce large-scale volumes of transportation
fuels from indigenous resources of coal, biomass, oil shale and
unconventional oil. South Africa, for example, has clearly demonstrated
that coal-to-liquids technologies are cost-effective, currently providing for
about thirty percent of that country’s liquid fuel needs from coal.
Other technologies such as cellulosic ethanol and oil shale retorting are
rapidly emerging. State-of-the-art co-production plants not only
provide near-zero emissions and ultra-clean liquid fuels, but also
electricity, chemicals, fertilizer, hydrogen and steam.
7.
Today’s technologies are capable of producing environmentally superior
transportation fuels while removing or capturing almost all pollutants,
including sulfur dioxide, nitrous oxides, mercury and carbon dioxide.
The United States can set an example for the world by implementing these next
generation clean technologies.
8.
Carbon dioxide can be economically captured in high-tech fuel manufacturing
facilities. This carbon dioxide can then be utilized to enhance the
large scale production of domestic oil, gas and agricultural energy crops
while at the same time storing/sequestering the gas to reduce net atmospheric
emissions. About two-hundred thousand barrels per day of oil are being
produced in the United States using carbon dioxide injection and storage.
This can grow to several million barrels per day.
9.
Technologies and fuels that advance transportation efficiencies and sensible
conservation also must play significant roles in eliminating dependence on imported
oil, as set forth in the American Energy Security Study. A shift to
diesel, Fischer-Tropsch diesel and diesel hybrids, for example, can
substantially improve automobile and truck mileage and dramatically lower
emissions from nearly every mode of transportation.
10.
Renewable wind, solar, hydro, geothermal, biomass and ocean tide and wave
technologies that generate electricity also have a significant role in the
future domestic energy resources. Tremendous opportunities now exist to
develop multi-source energy complexes that co-produce liquid fuels, natural
gas substitutes, hydrogen, electric power, process heat, agricultural
fertilizer and petrochemical feedstocks. These “Alternative
Energy Farms” offer the potential for significantly improved
efficiencies and lower costs.
11.
The American Energy Security Study concludes that embarking on a national
mission to achieve energy security and independence will decrease risk and
reduce oil prices and oil price volatility. It also will facilitate
industrial development, create more than a million jobs, foster new
technologies, enhance economic growth, protect the environment, eliminate the
trade and budget deficits, ensure affordable energy for citizens and
strategic fuels for the military and establish a reliable domestic energy
base on which to rebuild U.S. industries to be globally competitive.
Therefore, we, the undersigned Governors of the States, Commonwealths and
Territories of the United States, in support of the American Energy Security
Study, and for the legislative initiatives and priorities being recommended
therein, today call upon the President and the 110th Congress of
the United States to take strong and focused action to ensure the energy
security of the United States of America.
¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾
¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾
Governor Joe Manchin,
III, West Virginia
Governor Ernie Fletcher, Kentucky
Early
Signatories:
Governor Sonny Perdue –
Georgia
Governor Tim Kaine –
Virginia
Governor Michael Easley –
North
Carolina
Governor
Dave Freudenthal
- Wyoming
Governor Martin O’Malley -
Maryland
Governor Mike Beebe -
Arkansas
Governor
Ruth Ann Minner
- Delaware
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