Oct 05, 2008 - 04:05:20 CDT
Tribune EditorialThe Bismarck-Mandan Chamber of Commerce took vice presidential nominee Sen. Joe Biden to task for dismissing the vital role of coal and clean coal technology for the future.
Biden’s glib campaign comment — he’s been on both sides of this issue depending upon his audience — was ill advised.
Talking heads spouting sound bytes are not what we need in terms of a national energy policy. North Dakota and its sister states need a thoughtful, considered and consistent approach to energy independence. And that will require clean coal technology.
Fortunately, both presidential candidates, Sens. Barak Obama and John McCain, support clean coal technology. It’s a part of each candidate’s overall energy program. And, funding for clean coal research, as well as the extension of tax breaks and incentives for wind, ethanol and other alternatives, was included in the Wall Street bailout package that the two senators voted for on Wednesday (although some said the add-ons to the bailout package were nothing but pork). Both camps also have supported some form of carbon cap-and-trade.
This should not suggest that Obama and McCain are in complete agreement on a national energy policy. While they both support energy independence, how they get there isn’t the same.
Obama puts emphasis on energy efficiency, subsidizing the development of ethanol and generating more energy from wind, solar and other renewable sources. Obama favors a “windfall profits” tax on multinational oil companies.
McCain’s wants significant development of nuclear power (45 plants by 2030), and an end to the moratorium on off-shore drilling and market incentives to help develop alternative forms of energy.
Two other factors need to be considered in looking at how events in Washington might affect North Dakota’s energy future.
The energy plans developed by McCain and Obama were basically formed before the meltdown on Wall Street. If credit remains tight and the economy sluggish for a prolonged period, then financing and building additional energy infrastructure, whether that’s more plants, pipelines or transmission lines, will be difficult. A vigorous national economy would support a vigorous energy sector in North Dakota.
A carbon tax or a cap-and-trade program might make environmental sense in terms of reducing green house gas emissions, but it may make no economic sense to consumers struggling in a recession.
Whatever the next president wants in regards to a national energy policy, he will need help from Congress. A Congress bound and determined to reduce the nation’s carbon foot print at the expense of coal could make things very difficult. How much capital would either presidential candidate be willing to spend for clean coal?
Energy policy in Washington has serious implications for North Dakota.
Please, no more off the cuff comments aimed at sucking up to voters. No more games. No more patronizing campaign rhetoric delivered in snippets for daily media consumption. No more disingenuous accusations by any of the candidates on the presidential tickets.
Get serious.
Bob White wrote on Oct 6, 2008 12:18 PM:
that do not emit quite as much carbon dioxide, but they still emit far too much, and all the talk about sequestration "conveniently" overlooks the fact that thus
far the sequestration efforts capture only about 20 percent of the emitted CO2.
Last year's world wide carbon dioxide emissions were the greatest to date. There are methods of producing electricity, (natural gas, wind, geothermal, nuclear, solar, just to mention a few), that may cost more than coal-fired, and they do not pollute our atmosphere. North Dakota is profitting from production of coal and oil, which is great for the budget, but is shameful for its performance in reversing climate change. And I repeat one more time - - - - There is no such thing as "clean coal", so let's stop saying it. "
Halatbis wrote on Oct 5, 2008 2:12 PM:
Carbon taxes or cap and trade are just plain taxes in another form that is less identifiable and quantifiable. We the people will be paying that tax and the political leaders will be totally insulated from blame for the burden.
As to solar, wind, and photo-voltaic generation: these forms of energy are touted as great alternatives sources and are made to sound as though they are ready for the power plug, and we can shut off the oil and coal. This is far from reality; there is no way to store this power; no sun at night, and the wind does not always blow.
Wake up North Dakota---Obama and the Democratic Party do not share our energy development goals. Our congressional delegation: Conrad, Dorgan and Pomeroy are finding themselves in a Party that has moved in a different direction. They are out on a limb. And North Dakota may soon be there with them. "
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