Blogger Mark J. Perry has a post on Carpe Diem noting that oil imports as a share of U.S. consumption have fallen to their lowest point in 16 years - 46.3 percent this year (average through September), illustrated by this chart: On behalf of the administration Interior Secretary Ken Salazar claimed credit this week for oil imports falling below 50 percent. But Salazar found himself on the defensive during a Capitol Hill hearing that focused on the administration's new five-year offshore leasing plan. The plan is being criticized for not including areas off both coasts and in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico. House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings of Washington:

"We will likely hear today that U.S. oil and natural gas production is at an all time high. Yet that is true only becau... more »

A few weeks ago we released national poll results that showed:

"Voters feel better about importing oil from Canada knowing that Canadian oil sands development and the Keystone XL pipeline will bring significant job creation here in the U.S. for Americans and increase our nation's energy security"

Specifically:

• Most Americans (79 percent) feel that more U.S. imports of oil should come from Canada.
• Eighty percent believe U.S. policies should support use of Canadian oil sands and should allow pipelines to transport the oil into America.
• Almost nine out of ten voters felt better about importing oil from Canada knowing that Canada is a friendly ally and neighbor here in North America, and that the Keystone XL Pipeline will immediately create up to 20,000 jobs for Americans here in the U.S.

Si... more »

There are many ways to approach making policy determinations. One is to gather all of the evidence, evaluate it, and then come to a conclusion based on it.

For example, one could look at EIA projections that oil and natural gas products will supply 55% of our energy consumption in 2035 and that 41% of our liquid fuel needs in 2035 will need to be imported and then conclude that oil and natural gas will be primary fuels for a long time to come so we should pursue policies to secure our supplies.

Then you could look at studies on domestic production and see that we could create 1 million additional jobs by 2018, secure 100% of our liquid fuel needs by 2026, and provide $800 billion dollars in revenue to U.S. governments over the next twenty years and easily conclude that pro-development pol... more »

Twice in the past week the administration has made decisions affecting America's energy security. Twice it has come up empty - going 0-for-2 on the Keystone XL pipeline and a new federal five-year plan for offshore leasing.

Unfortunately, it's not a game. These decisions could significantly limit access to North American resources and make our energy future less secure - while also costing jobs and growth that could generate additional revenues for government.

Certainly, deferring a decision on the Keystone XL to early 2013 is important. The administration says more time is needed for consideration - in addition to three years of review, including three separate environmental studies that determined the pipeline wouldn't pose a significant environmental risk. That's 20,000 U.S. jobs deferr... more »

President Obama over the weekend:

"We've been a little bit lazy over the last couple of decades. We've kind of taken for granted -- 'Well, people would want to come here' -- and we aren't out there hungry, selling America and trying to attract new businesses into America..."

Perhaps businesses like TransCanada? Who have already invested $1.9 billion to build the Keystone XL pipeline; and all told will invest $13 billion of private, not government money, on the entire Keystone Pipeline System. A pipeline with 20,000 shovel ready jobs and up to 250,000 permanent jobs for U.S. workers adding more than $100 billion in annual total expenditures to the U.S. economy.

With all due respect Mr. President, TransCanada was sold on America and thousands of the unemployed were sold on the prospect of... more »