ASPEN IDEAS, NATURAL GAS, ARMENIA UNHERALDED
RAYMOND J. LEARSY
07/09/2012 7:58 am
Author, ‘Oil and Finance: The Epic Corruption Continues’
The Aspen Ideas Festival brings together as panelists/speakers
individuals of tested competence and talent. Such was the case last
week with a gathering of Ray Lahood, our Secretary of the Department
of Transportation, Lisa P. Jackson, Environmental Protection Agency
Administrator, and panel moderator the eloquent and erudite Vijay
Vaitheeswaran (yes, I did get the spelling right) senior correspondent
of the “Economist” taking on the subject of “What Will Fuel the
Automobile of the Future?”
Of course alternative transportation strategies were touched upon
such as electric powered cars, biofuels, hybrids, as well as C.A.F.E.
standards all of which can add significantly to the search for
solutions to overturn our gas guzzling and fossil fuel addiction.
Yet given the current advances, Secretary La Hood went directly to
one of the core issues. The game changing potential of compressed
natural gas with its attractive price and its vast reserves within
the confines of the United States. A munificent resource accessible
through new drilling techniques, bringing the nation to the cusp of
energy independence. A fossil fuel, yes, but as a transportation fuel
emitting some 25% less greenhouse gases than petroleum based gasoline,
and now being domestically sourced and cheaper by far.
Environmentally, in terms of national security and economically
(natural gas at today’s quoted price of $3.00 mmbtu delivers an
energy quotient that would require crude oil to sell at $20bbl or
less compared to today’s price of $85bbl) therefore a win, win, win.
Secretary La Hood shared with the audience his recent visit to
Carbondale Colorado where the entire bus transport system had been
converted from gasoline powered engines to buses fueled by compressed
natural gas. Among early steps in a policy shift that in time will
have broad implications for metropolitan transport throughout the
United States. But yet, as we will see, it is only a small beginning.
Also present was Lisa P. Jackson , the fiery and all hands on
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. Inevitably the
issue of fracking came up given its important role in the production
of the newly accessible shale gas resources near nationwide.
When confronted to comment on a recent Wall Street Journal Editorial
(“A Fracking Rule Reprieve” 06.01.12) hailing the temporary suspension
of federal fracking regulations covering everything from disclosure of
drilling chemicals to well integrity as “redundant” to the plethora
of state regulation, going on to berate the Environmental Protection
Agency as in, “has tried to dig up pollution stories.” Castigating
the Department of the Interior and the EPA for bringing on, in the
WSJ’s view, obstructionist and burdensome regulation hampering the
production of gas and the expansion of these new drilling methods.
Mrs. Jackson was fierce in her defense of the EPA’s actions and
policies. Significantly, she stated clearly and unambiguously her
understanding of the enormous importance this new resource and the
potential that shale gas represents to the nation both economically
and in terms of energy independence. But simultaneously she was clear
that it is incumbent on federal agencies to set standards in keeping
with the environmental well being of the nation as a whole, and in the
interest of future generations. Yes, drill and frack, but it must be
done responsibly to issues of water safety and air quality, and the
federal agencies such as Interior and the EPA must serve as guardians
of the nation’s environmental well being. It was quite a performance.
But here we are at the cusp of a vast change in our energy destiny
and given Secretary LaHood’s vision, veering in the right direction.
Yet we still remain without a true national commitment to wean
ourselves from gasoline to natural gas as our foremost transportation
fuel. The transformation of occasional municipalities to natural gas
fired transport from gasoline engines is but a hesitant beginning.
Consider Armenia!
What you ask, and why Armenia? Barely known to most
everyone, Armenia leads the world. 75% of its automobile
and truck fleet is propelled by compressed natural gas
(CNG)(
rd-a-better-economy.html). An amazing accomplishment for a country
hardly in the forefront of public discourse.
Showing the way, Armenia serves as example of what needs be done
nationally- a full bore program to set up a national distribution
system (pumping stations) for compressed gas, incentives to Detroit
and consumers to changeover to natural gas powered cars. During World
War II Detroit retooled itself in six months and became the Arsenal of
Democracy. With our government pitching in it can this day become the
arsenal of our energy independence and our environmental protector
(in that natural gas is significantly less polluting than gasoline
emmisions).
Let’s show Armenia we can do it too!
From: Baghdasarian