Dodging political snags, Obama pushes US energy policy forward

Energy policy has been of far greater concern to President Obama than to his recent predecessors in the White House, reflecting the emergence of climate change as a central issue today.

Yet his administration has pursued an “all-of-the-above” energy strategy that advances all energy resources, from oil and gas to nuclear power and renewables, without consistently indicating a priority among them.

Of course, the president’s policies reflect political reality today, where Congress is sharply polarized over energy issues and climate change. Any president must work with other policymakers to do what is politically and economically feasible at the time.

Despite these constraints, President Obama’s energy policies on the whole are balanced and forward-looking. They move the nation in the right direction of reducing reliance on fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural gas as we come to terms with climate change.

What has he done? He has helped to revive the nuclear power industry with federal loan guarantees, and for the first time in over three decades, new plants are under construction. They are very expensive, but the industry’s renewal could lead to cheaper and safer reactor designs that offer an alternative to fossil fuels, which supply over 80 percent of the energy we now use.

The president also has fostered an increase in hydraulic fracturing for oil and natural gas on public lands, and he has supported offshore oil and gas drilling, combined with regulatory reforms. This includes drilling in the Arctic and off the Atlantic coast, although not nearly to the extent that the oil and gas industry has sought.

One result has been abundant, cheaper and cleaner natural gas that is rapidly replacing dirtier coal as the fossil fuel of choice for power plants.

There also has been a 94 percent increase in domestically produced oil during Obama’s tenure. As a result, the U.S. is now much less dependent on imported oil.

The president has strongly backed permitting for large wind and solar installations on public lands in the West, and he has supported generous DOE funding for a range of promising new energy technologies, especially renewables.

On the whole the program has been remarkably effective, and federal, state and private investment together have led to a 252 percent increase in solar and wind power since the president took office.

Two key energy-related regulatory decisions also stand out. The administration’s new vehicle fuel economy standards already have improved miles per gallon — up 21 percent — and urban air quality, with much more to come.

M. Ryder, Tribune Content Agency

Pat Bagley, Salt Lake Tribune