Mission 3 Department of the Interior Powering our future and Responsible use of the Nation’s Resources
Here is another government entity involved with our resources not the least of which is our energy resources. Part of the initiatives of this department is the responsible development of our domestic energy reserves. I am all for responsibly developing our energy opportunities and onee of the concerns in recent reports is the environmental impact of developing our energy needs for the future. Part of this concern is a technique called fracking which is widely used on non-government lands in several states which appears to be doing quite well without issues. This process has been questioned not only by other government entities but energy policies now in place in this administration.
There are many processes surrounding our energy needs and how to address them not all of which are logical or efficient. In this respect this entity is planning to modernize offshore leasing and diligence requirements for deep water Gulf of Mexico. While processes can almost always be improved it is important to not make requirements so stringent or complicated that developing offshore energy reserves may be a slow process.
There is no question we need to develop the potential for renewable energy to support our economy and protect our national interest while reducing our dependence on foreign oil. This dependence has seen a reduction with increased oil production through the use of fracking thought various government entities have questions on the process. Renewable energy sources include but not limited to solar, wind and geothermal energy resources. It is important to note that these renewable sources are not applicable in every location across the country. Another renewable energy resource is hydropower efficiency by developing software, new turbines and initiating pumping operation flexibility.
One of the interesting actions in this goal is the finalizing the Hydraulic Fracturing Rule. This is a great change from the present position of some government entities in establishing some guidelines on this activity. It is not sure if this is related to the fracking process currently being utilized in many states. There has been wide success not only in the process itself but the economic boom which seems to be associated with the process. Utilizing our energy resources is badly needed from a federal government standpoint. The government needs to get on board with developing a formal energy plan to reduce our dependence on importing foreign oil. States have taken the initiative to utilize the energy resources within their borders and it appears that new reserves are constantly being discovered. This is a good thing not only for the states that will see increased revenue.
The federal government needs to take the hint from states in how to energize our country through tapping into the reserves on federal land. There has been enough research and analysis done regarding methods to utilize the energy potential we have in this country. It is time to accept the data it now has and stop spending money for research and data that is not needed. Some government entities have already accepted the fracking process based on the information they already have but policy seems to trump this evaluation. Environmentalists seem to be involved with this policy and I understand the concern about environmental issues associated with tapping our reserves. Are there going to be problems with tapping our energy resources yes but you do not stop the process simply for the reason you think something might happen.
There are many geological differences across the country and it is wrong to assume when something happens to automatically blame a process for something which there is no clear connection. Environmental incidents must be examined and the facts presented before any statements as to the cause or causes are made. Jumping to conclusions seems to be a way of life for some government entities they should let the facts speak for themselves and not look for the data to confirm their conclusion. Conclusions should be supported by the data in any incident.
Accessing and utilizing all our energy resources will help us become more independent as a country and to some extent this situation has improved with the increase in oil and gas production throughout the country. As with any industry there is always a need to have accountability, safety and environmental protection measures in place which in this case is through increased inspection of high-risk oil and gas production cases.
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