Energy Crisis Leads to Calls for Reliable Energy Now and for the Future

On May 15, 2001, Citizens for a Sound Economy (CSE) called for a national energy plan that is environmentally friendly and economically sound and pledged to be at the forefront of implementing such a policy by involving thousands of CSE grassroots activists.

Paul Beckner, president of CSE, issued the following statement today regarding the heightening crisis:

“The United States is facing an energy crisis. Gas prices are rising. Californians are losing power. New exploration and production of energy resources has almost completely stopped, our refining capacity is stretched to the limit, and our dependence on foreign energy is at an all time high.

“Americans deserve common sense energy policies that will increase competition, lower prices, and reduce dependence on foreign oil. We anxiously await the introduction of President Bush’s comprehensive energy plan and look forward to working with him on achieving a balanced and environmentally sensitive plan.

“It is our goal to inform and educate not only our grassroots activists, but also the average American whose understanding of the current energy crisis goes only as far as their understanding that they pay more to fuel their car and to heat and cool their home.

“We agree that alternatives to fossil fuels are necessary. However, we don’t need to hold the American consumer hostage by allowing the government to hold so many abundant and diverse energy sources captive through federal ownership and environmental politics. The government holds these lands in trust for all Americans, not an elite few. We should be allowed to explore what natural resources may be available on many of these lands.

“Ensuring the stability and abundance of our nation’s fuel and energy supply does not mean turning back the clock on environmental progress. Indeed, it is our prosperity, fueled by energy, that has made us the world’s most environmentally sensitive and successful nation. Energy producers must be allowed to continue fueling the economic growth that has enabled our country to create millions of jobs and opportunities for all Americans.”