United States Needs Comprehensive Energy Strategy

Guest Editorial by Randy Williams, President, AAA Minnesota/Iowa

BURNSVILLE, Minn., Oct. 12 -- In the aftermath of hurricanes Katrina and Rita, U.S. motorists experienced record-high gas prices that caused not only a pain in the pocketbook, but also exposed the extreme fragility of an ailing and overburdened energy infrastructure.

As of early October 2005, an estimated 92 percent of offshore Gulf Coast oil production remained off-line due to the effects of the hurricanes. Barely able to meet normal demands for fuel, the oil industry must now rebuild, relying on emergency supplies of oil from the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve and other international sources.

In time, the oil and gas industries will recover, but what happens next? Who will address the long-term core energy issues, such as refining capacity, fossil fuel availability, alternative energy sources, commodities speculation, oil industry profits and dependence on foreign oil?

As consumers, we can and must reduce the amount of gasoline we use. More fuel-efficient cars, better management of driving habits and increased use of public transportation will help. But, if Americans are going to pitch in and take personal responsibility for reducing energy use, the public and private sectors must do no less.

To help Americans achieve energy independence, AAA offers the following broad guidelines for elected officials and those in the energy industry:

   -- Oil companies must ensure that their pricing is fair.
   -- Consumers deserve to know how energy companies invest windfall profits
      and other incentives to address long-term energy needs.
   -- The impact of commodities speculation on consumer pricing should be
      studied.
   -- The era of "boutique fuels" must end.  A single federal standard
      should be established for clean gasoline, eliminating complex blending
      requirements that differ from state to state.

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita taught us many lessons - chief among them, the importance of developing a non-partisan, forward-thinking strategy to safeguard future energy needs. If we do not reduce our dependency on fossil fuel, increase our access to reliable alternatives or practice serious conservation, the narrow margin we rely on for economic stability and personal safety will continue to erode.