Beginning in 2 weeks, Congress will be considering measures to open up the gulf for drilling. Bill Nelson and Mel Martinez have a plan to open 740,000 acres, while another plan is to open more than 3 million acres.
Continuing to open up our lands for more driling without clear efforts towards conservation is environmentally unsound policy.
There is a positive side to our nations policy. http://www.energy.gov/taxbreaks.htm The Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPACT), signed by President Bush on August 8, 2005, offers consumers and businesses federal tax credits beginning in January 2006 for purchasing fuel-efficient hybrid-electric vehicles and energy-efficient appliances and products. Most of these tax credits remain in effect through 2007.
An oil future is not a secure future for America. We need policies that encourage alternative fuels, and discourage our dependence on oil. Did you know that Brazil has been able to reduce prices at the pump? That is it nearly through a transformation of 80% foreign oil dependency to self sufficiency? They invested in biofuels.
America has been reluctant to do anything that might upset the auto industry; cars are the single largest use of oil we have. The cars could be more efficient, but there has been a reversal in policies over the years for the acceleration of MPG requirements, because automakers lobbied for it. As long as we buy gas guzzlers, and they can make money, it’s hard to get change. Yet, there is a backlog in orders for hybrids. It’s time we did more to encourage the speedy development of hybrids and for the consumers who buy them. It’s a big investment for automakers and the foreign car makers are investing heavily. We better get moving or we’ll be left behind. Japan’s shipments to USA- about 100,000 expected this year. US automakers- about 20,000 will be made.
Please write to your senators and let them know we do not want to expand drilling in the Gulf.