Wyoming literally powers the nation. Our state produces 14 times more energy than we consume, making us the largest net exporter of energy in the nation. We do that with the cleanest burning coal in the world. Not only is it the cleanest, we are learning how to make it even cleaner with carbon capture technology.
Unfortunately, progressives continue to push rhetoric and pursue plans to hamstring our domestic energy production. Instead of promoting reliable domestic energy production, they concoct plans such as the Green New Deal, which would stymie our production here at home and empower China and Russia to pollute while strengthening their chokehold on energy dependent countries. It makes no sense.
I’m not one to complain about a policy without having a solution, so I joined my colleagues Senators Dan Sullivan (R-AK) and Kevin Cramer (R-ND) to develop the American Energy, Climate, and Jobs Plan. Our plan promotes an all-of-the-above energy strategy that preserves traditional energy sources like coal, oil, and natural gas while developing technologies, such as carbon capture, to cut their emissions. The plan also promotes clean energy sources such as nuclear, wind, solar and hydro to better secure our domestic energy supply and cut emissions while creating new, sustainable jobs.
The framework is built around five key policy priorities:
1) Expand America’s current power and energy production base to leverage our world-class energy resources to empower American workers, enhance U.S. economic and national security, and reduce global greenhouse gas emissions.
2) Support infrastructure, resources, investments and incentives to build out the American renewable energy manufacturing and electricity sector.
3) Leverage America’s energy and natural resource abundance and independence to create millions of good-paying jobs in the energy and manufacturing sectors, and empower the American worker.
4) Enact permitting reforms to make sure all energy, mineral, and infrastructure projects can be built in an efficient, timely, and certain manner.
5) Take advantage of America’s abundant energy and natural resources and rebuild American supply chains to continue to gain competitive advantages against China, Russia, Iran and other foreign adversaries while lowering global greenhouse gas emissions.
The United States has the ingenuity and the resources to address the human causes of climate change, but we cannot address it by relying on, or forcing other nations to rely on, foreign sources for our energy needs. It’s time to move the needle on climate change, not just move the needle on the rhetoric of climate change. No nation on earth is better equipped, better prepared, or has a better track record at producing clean, reliable energy than the United States. This plan will make a difference. It’ll allow Wyoming to keep powering the nation. It’ll encourage more job creation. It’ll lower energy prices. It’ll promote reliable energy grids. It’ll cut greenhouse gas emissions to ensure a cleaner earth for future generations. It’ll move the needle.