Obama Unveils "Blueprint" For Energy Reform
President Obama announced a “blueprint” Wednesday to simultaneously move the U.S. away from dependence on foreign oil and create alternative energy sources.
Invoking the recent spike in gas prices, the President told an audience at Georgetown University that “there are no quick fixes” and that the U.S. “will keep on being a victim to shifts in the oil market until we get serious about a … policy for secure, affordable energy.”
In the short term, the President said the government will attempt to spur domestic oil production by expediting off-shore drilling leases for responsible companies, creating incentives for companies to develop land they own but are not developing and weighing the possibility of drilling “from Alaska to the Mid- and South Atlantic.”
Explaining that improving domestic oil production was only half the battle, Obama added that his administration would increase investment in research for alternative fuels, including the creation and distribution of biofuels and natural gas.
In addition, the President said his administration will update energy efficiency standards for vehicles throughout the rest of the year and offer car and home developers incentives to create more environmentally-sound products.
The President touched on nuclear energy as well, noting that despite the crisis in Japan, it should not be taken off the table, but instead subjected to strong safety standards.
The White House is referring to the collective steps as a “Blueprint for A Secure Energy Future,” but Obama also raised his administration’s “Win the Future” message during his remarks, explaining that despite fiscal hardships, energy reform is a “critical investment.”
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