So when I read the bio of General James Jones, Obama's selection as his National Security Advisor, I noticed something I had not heard of: The Institute for 21st Energy, which is an affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and which Jones is the President.
They published "A Transition Plan for Securing America's Energy Future" (PDF) which outlines for the President-elect how to secure our energy future. According to Jones own words,
Mr. President-elect, we offer you and your transition team this comprehensive set of energy policy recommendations because our country urgently requires a balanced and enduring strategy to
meet our growing needs. America stands at a defining moment where the decisions made today will influence the economic prosperity, global
competitiveness, and national security of future generations. This is a monumental calling and we stand ready to assist you during this historic transition and in the years to come.
The main goal of the organization seems to be energy independence, which to them means a very comprehensive strategy, what they call their 13 pillars for "Securing America's Energy Future":
- Aggressively Promote Energy Efficiency
- Reduce the Environmental Impact of Energy Consumption and Production
- Invest in Climate Science to Guide Energy, Economic, and Environmental Policy
- Significantly Increase Research, Development, Demonstration, and Deployment of Advanced Clean Energy Technologies
- Immediately Expand Domestic Oil and Gas Exploration and Production
- Commit to and Expand Nuclear Energy Use
- Commit to the Use of Clean Coal
- Increase Renewable Sources of Electricity
- Transform Our Transportation Sector
- Modernize and Protect U.S. Energy Infrastructure
- Address Critical Shortages of Qualified Energy Professionals
- Reduce Overly Burdensome Regulations and Opportunities for Frivolous Litigation
- Demonstrate Global Leadership on Energy Security and Climate Change
What is obvious is that almost EVERYTHING is on the table. SOme of those are clearly things that the Progressive community would embrace, including expanded use of renewable eenrgy supplies, energy efficiency, greening the transportation, and apporiving siginifcantly more funds into research and development of transportation and energy production such as energy storage technologies. Most importanlty, maybe, is making the US a global leader on climate change and energy security.
However, there are also things that may trouble some Kossacks (although there is hardly a consensus on these issues):
- Nuclear energy development including development of Yucca Mountain Nucelear waste storage facility;
- Expanding doemstic oil and gas exploration, includidng remoiving restrictios on oil exploration on the Outer Continental Shelf (although there is nothing I could find about ANWR);
- Use of clean coal, basically by indreasing tax credits, government funds, and creating a regulatory environement conducive to Clean Coal development. However, this is such a long-term goal that I really question the need for this at all.
What does this all point to? Well clearly the organization believes that everything in the toolbox must be used to ensure a domesticly secure source for our energy needs including those things we may not favor. Now who knows how much influence General Jones' veiwpoints will have on the President-elect, but clearly Obama sees energy seriously as a national security issue as well as a sustainability issue and is serious about greater energy independence. The important thing is that it is a comprehensive plan, something Obama had discussed all along. Nuclear energy, offshore drilloing etc could be part of a wholesale plan that included energy efficieny, clean energy and such
That is why he picked Jones and that is telling, energy is the path to our proseperity, through public works and through greater energy independence.