A list of proposals to alleviate the current oil crisis
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1 comment [ View ]By GARY SANDQUIST
Guest commentary
Cost of oil at present prices (more than $115 per barrel) consumes 6.5 percent of U.S. gross domestic product, and if sustained over the next decade will exceed $9 trillion. Current U.S. oil consumption is 22 million barrels per day, with 15 million barrels per day imported. Vigorous actions are needed to correct this financial and energy crisis. The following suite of actions, though contentious, should be considered.
* Restrict oil commodity market speculation by imposing tax penalties disallowing capital gains from profits.
* Allow drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and continental shelf with environmental control.
* Support and develop U.S. oil shale production.
* Mandate that oil companies vigorously develop leased federal lands or lose leases.
* Impose national 55 mph speed limit on all interstates.
* Require semiannual auto inspections including major tune-ups.
* Encourage tire inflation to maximum rated air pressure to reduce rolling resistance.
* Restrict and/or penalize idling of diesel engines by transporters.
* Support and promote natural gas retrofits for automobiles with tax incentives.
* Develop low cost, high density electrical energy storage batteries for transportation.
* Develop rear-wheel electrical drive packages for existing automobiles.
* Promote mass transit through subsidization and offer free transportation during rush hours.
* Implement wind farm and solar facility construction within three years of siting.
* Implement nuclear power plant construction within five years of siting.
* Permit on-site storage of spent nuclear fuel at reactor sites via passage of Senate Bill 784.
* Divert natural gas from electrical power generation to residential, commercial and transportation sectors.
* Begin development of "hydrogen economy" using domestic primary energy sources such as wind, solar and nuclear.
* Implement comprehensive interstate energy and communication transmission infrastructure (electricity, natural gas, hydrogen, superconductors, telecommunication, etc.).
* Greatly increase funding for National Science Foundation to support energy research and development.
Sandquist is a professor emeritus at the University of Utah. He lives in Salt Lake City.
This proposal is even better than Paris Hilton's!
Seriously, this is a great, comprehensive list. Even though I'm not fond of the 55 mph limit, I would accept it as a part of the many other good suggestions Sandquist lists.