Preying on the fears of consumers, the opportunistic “drill here, drill now, lower prices” campaign looks to be catching on, even though economic analysts and other experts continue to say that opening up more of our public lands to drilling is not any sort of solution to high gas prices. Unfortunately, when it comes to our energy challenges, there are no simple solutions.
This Independence Day, we hope you'll take a little time to consider that the solutions we choose in today's energy debate will impact the lives of America's children, communities and businesses for decades to come. America should not rely on slogans and false fixes that only benefit oil companies — companies whose profits topped $155 billion in 2007 and neared $40 billion in just the first three months of 2008.
All those quoted below agree that the “drill now” campaign is a cruel fiction. Former co-chairman of the Republican National Committee, Thomas B. Evans, summarized the situation well in a recent editorial for the Tampa Tribune when he wrote:
“Unfortunately, some find it easy to take advantage of these hardships. These misguided leaders are capitalizing on the high price of gasoline...It is terribly misleading to suggest that drilling would reduce the price of oil anytime in the near future...Speaking as a Republican, I fervently hope we will not be led down a path that may benefit oil companies but is so clearly wrong for America.”
- Read the full article entitled A Republican Warns Against Drilling here.
The Wilderness Society recognizes that oil and natural gas development is a legitimate and important use of our public lands, but many Americans don't realize the extent of the drilling frenzy that has ripped across these wild places over the past seven years. There are tens of thousands of oil and gas wells on public lands already, and more drilling rigs are operating in the United States than the entire rest of the world. Despite this drilling boom of the past seven years, gasoline prices have skyrocketed to new levels.
For some facts on the drilling boom and its ties to high gasoline prices, please stop by our resource page.
In reality, our nation simply does not contain enough oil reserves to achieve energy independence. The United States possesses less than 3 percent of the world’s proven reserves yet consumes nearly a quarter of world oil output. Opening our protected lands and seas would destroy pristine areas before future generations ever have a chance to enjoy them while at best prolonging our addiction to oil.
Rather than celebrating the Fourth of July weekend by fumbling after false solutions that will sacrifice the country’s most cherished lands, we should supplement a reasonable drilling program in appropriate places with an increased emphasis and investment in conservation and renewable energy technologies. It won’t happen overnight and it won’t be easy, but this forward-thinking approach is what will begin to move this country toward a sustainable energy future.
As we contemplate our great good fortune of being American on Independence Day, we should also take pride in the iconic landscapes that we have protected as part of our natural heritage, places like Yellowstone National Park, Yosemite, the Grand Canyon, Glacier Park and the Everglades. Unfortunately, there are other spectacular and uniquely American landscapes that should also be protected for future generations to be inspired by, places like the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Utah’s fantastic Red Rock Country, Colorado’s Roan Plateau, and other places that are under threat of energy development. The enduring value of clean water, wildlife habitat, hunting, fishing, other outdoor recreation, and tourism is much greater than the ephemeral value of temporary energy production. Americans will enjoy the economic and recreational benefits of protected public lands long after energy production is finished—if we act now to protect them.
As we approach this most American of holidays, take a moment to talk with friends, colleagues and family about difficult but honest solutions, not slogans. America's public lands are more than oil and gas pits - they are an important and unique part of the American birthright.
What Are Other Experts Saying:
Oil Price Blues Hit Wyoming
Casper Star-Tribune
June 15, 2008
“It's a myth."
- Charles F. Mason, the H.A. "Dave" True Jr. professor of petroleum and natural gas economics at the University of Wyoming, on the notion that the nation could simply drill more wells to become "independent" of foreign oil imports
"It's truly small potatoes in the context of the global oil market... It's a great place to make a stand if a politician is up for re-election. But realistically, I don't see that as having a significant impact."
- Charles F. Mason (as above) on America's potential to unlock more domestic resources
Congress can't help gas prices
TheAdvertiser.com
June 21, 2008
“There’s very little Congress can do in the short term because we’re dealing with a global market.”
- Lee Fuller, Lobbyist, Independent Petroleum Association of America
"I wish I could say there was relief around the corner, but there isn't. Congress members don't want to tell you that, but that's the reality."
- Robert Ebel, senior energy adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies
Oil's finite but there's an endless well of ignorance
Star Ledger Blog
June 9, 2008
“As a journalist for a major newspaper, I can pick up the phone and get the top experts in the field to discuss this with me at a moment's notice. And I have done so repeatedly and written in some detail about the results. And the result is that I learned that American oil production peaked way back in 1970. We have more wells than any other country on Earth. And no matter how many more we drill, we will never again pump as much as we pumped back in the good old days.”
- Paul Mulshine, columnist for the Star Ledger of Newark, New Jersey
Get used to high prices
CNNMoney.com
June 13, 2008
"If the dollar was where it was last August, there's a very good chance we might never have seen $100 a barrel oil, maybe not even $90.”
- Peter Beutel, Oil and Gas Analyst and President of Cameron Hanover
Interest in alternative energy is growing
Deseret News
June 25, 2008
"The U.S. imports oil because it's less expensive than trying to produce it at home… If the U.S. government and industry leaders are serious about tapping oil shale, research and development should be further along than they now are…You'll need to go from producing zero oil shale to 10 million barrels of oil shale in about seven years... We're going to need alternatives in a timely fashion, and if they're not available, it will (result) in tremendous economic disruption.”
- Robert Kaufman, professor, Boston Center for Energy and Environmental Studies
Offshore Drilling Questions—“When?” “How Much?” etc.
Association for the Study of Peak Oil and Gas-USA Web site
June 23, 2008
“Desperate people do desperate things. As Americans become more desperate for oil, I expect that ANWR and offshore areas will be opened for oil development. It will be like burning the furniture to keep the house warm in mid-January. It will be a desperate move that won’t result in much.”
- Roger Blanchard, author of The Future of Global Oil Production: Facts, Figures, Trends And Projections, quoted by the Association for the Study of Peak Oil and Gas-USA
Expert dispels myths surrounding world oil woes
The Herald Standard
June 29, 2008
"We really have to start thinking about what the alternatives are, what we are going to do and start acting on it. Our future isn't written. It's all about anticipating the change and doing something about it.''
- Dr. Robert Kaufmann, Ph.D. of Boston University and an expert on gasoline prices and world oil supply
"If we believe these curves and follow the decline after the peak, and how quickly we need alternative supplies for oil, then we will need the equivalent of a new Saudi Arabia every decade,''
- Dr. Robert Kaufmann (same as above)
The Petro-Manipulators
New York Times Blog
June 25, 2008
“There are no lines at the gas pumps and there is plenty of food on the shelves.”
What has changed is the presence of big speculators making futures bets.
“If Wall Street concocted a scheme whereby investors bought large amounts of pharmaceutical drugs and medical devices in order to profit from the resulting increase in price, making these essential items unaffordable to sick and dying people, society would be justly outraged.”
- Michael W. Masters, a hedge fund manager who’s been advising Congress this year
High oil prices? Weak dollar? Blame Bush
Politico
June 10, 2008
“Nearly 40 percent of the increased price American consumers are paying for oil is attributable to the weak dollar.”
- Center for American Progress
What has driven up oil prices
Christian Science Monitor
May 2, 2008
“The old fundamentals – the balance between demand and supply – still matter, but it is [currency fluctuations and financial speculators] that are the driving force behind the record high.”
- Cambridge Energy Research Associates
"The market has gone [so high] for a variety of reasons, some of which are fundamental, and some of which are speculative.”
- Amy Myers-Jaffe, Energy studies fellow, James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy at Rice University
Oil's latest record based on view of dollar
Anchorage Daily News (Associated Press)
June 28, 2008
"The dollar was slightly stronger, and when it gave up its gains, that gave oil the green light,"
- James Cordier, president of Tampa, Fla.-based trading firms Liberty Trading Group and OptionSellers.com.
"Oil's back in favor, especially with people bailing out of the stock market,"
- Jim Ritterbusch, president of energy consultancy Ritterbusch and Associates in Galena, Ill.
