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Show TheGarn Opinion Energy plan a bad proposal The Senate was embroiled for several weeks in debate on President Carter's proposed energy program. Included in the debate were a filibuster, several late night sessions and one all-night all-night session. Some national media representatives said the President's proposal is in trouble because of the Senate. To the contrary, the President's energy proposal is in trouble because it is a bad proposal. At any rate, the bill is now in Conference with the House. Having said that, I will take this opportunity op-portunity to speak to the energy issue. Every American must, in the face of our current energy shortage, tighten his belt and begin to modify his life style in order to reduce our annual energy consumption. con-sumption. But, in addition to conserving the energy we coasts as the most promising place to drill for significant new discoveries of oil and natural gas. Yet, today, exploratory drilling is permitted on only 1.5 percent per-cent of the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf. Environmentalists En-vironmentalists argue that the marine ecology will be ruined by OCS drilling. But, at the sites where petroleum production is now allowed, e.g. the Gulf of Mexico and off of California, the safety record has been excellent. With more than 21,000 wells drilled, there have been only four spills, and those were promptly cleaned up. As a 20 member research team stated "the spill was cleaned up immediately and in such a way that there is every indication that good ecological health has returned to normal." In order to allow for more exploration for oil and natural gas. OCS drilling eliminate nuclear breeder reactors. Congress has shown that it is not disposed to go along. Domestic coal is the major fuel for the immediate future of this country. Coal will bridge, the energy years between the decline of oil and gas production and the emergency of more exotic fuels such as solar energy. Kentucky, West Virginia and Pennsylvania currently supply much of America's coal and could not feasibly increase supply. Coal therefore, must come from the West, and that means surface-mining. E n-vironmentalists n-vironmentalists have fought this proposal for some time. But. as in OCS drilling, modern day precautions can be taken, and the old time stigma of ruined and barren lands as a result of strip- have and are importing, we must search out and discover new means to provide ample energy resources to continue our strong economic growth. I believe America's greatest energy resources are in our own back yard We have three major resource development areas in this countrv; the Outer Continental Shelf OCS. nuclear power plants, and domestic coal. And if measures are taken immediately, im-mediately, there is no reason, from the standpoint of availability of physical energy resources, why the U.S. should consider further increases in foreign importation. im-portation. Geologists have identified the areas off America's iiium ue f in uui ajifu anu defended. Nuclear power plants are another excellent source of energy for our nation. Unfortunately, Un-fortunately, government interference impedes much of their progress. A New Hampshire power plant is a good example. Since a construction permit was issued in 1971. there have been neanngs. rulings and motions, and today, still no power piant. Opponents claim that there is a tremendous danger in nuclear power plants, and theoretically, there is. Howeer, there has never been a nuclear power plant disaster, despite the fact that 21 plants are operating in the U.S. and around the world today. Yet. the .Ad ministration is attempting to mining win no longer exist. The typical modern surface-mining surface-mining operation guarantees guaran-tees to restore the topography to its original state, a section at a time, as mining proceeds. Subsoil and topsoil are carefully saved for this purpose. As a country, we have the resources and the technical skills to provide enough energy to keep people warm in the winter, run factories and keep cars and planes supplied, without relying on foreign reserves. By cutting through regulations required for OCS drilling, by defending breeder reactors and by improving surface-mining surface-mining operations, we are taking steps to become energy independent. In this way. -we can realistically confront and resolve the energy crisis. |