Planning for a Sustainable Energy Future by Mary Fallin

All over the U.S., rising gasoline prices are hurting families, businesses and consumers. We’re burning up gas on the way to work, paying more for food, and struggling with rising overhead costs. Skyrocketing prices are hitting us where it hurts: our wallets.

With that in mind, I propose taking 5 steps that will help control gas prices and reduce our dependence on foreign oil:

1. Eliminate Barriers to Exploration: Congress has placed an enormous amount of American oil “off limits,” enough to power 60 million American cars for 60 years. Opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), the Gulf Coast and other federal lands to environmentally responsible exploration and drilling can massively expand the amount of oil and natural gas we produce. The sooner we start drilling, the sooner we can move to a more secure energy future.

2. Build New Refineries and Expand Old Ones: In the 1980’s, the U.S. had 321 operable refineries. Today we have less than half that. Government restrictions on building new refineries delay our ability to turn oil into gasoline and ultimately raise prices. These restrictions should be eliminated.

3. Expanding our base of Alternative Energy: American business is the greatest source of innovation and technological advancement in the world. By supporting private enterprise as it invests in wind and solar energy, nuclear energy and biofuels, we can harness the power of the private sector for the public good.

4. Reject Tax Hikes: Higher taxes on gasoline or the companies that produce it will eventually be passed on to consumers in the form of increased prices.

5. Encourage Conservation: Whether it’s changing our driving habits or making our homes and businesses more energy efficient, we can all do our part to conserve energy. Saving fuel will help by driving down demand and controlling costs.

Taking these five steps can go a long way towards meeting our nation’s energy needs. In the long run, however, Congress must outline a path towards a sustainable energy future. When that future comes, I am confident Oklahoma can continue to play a leading role in powering our nation.