Ron DeSantis on Energy & Oil

Choose the Marcellus Shale over the Mullahs

HALEY (on DeSantisLies.com): DeSantis long opposed ethanol before he decided to run for president. In 2015, DeSantis introduced legislation to repeal the Renewable Fuel Standard, and cosponsored five pieces of legislation to repeal it.

Kneecapping reliable energy means rolling blackouts

DESANTIS: On day one as President, we take Biden's Green New Deal and we throw it in the trash can. It is bad for this country. We have to have reliable energy. You're going to end up having rolling blackouts if they kneecap reliable energy production in this country. Florida's had a massive decline in emissions--wasn't because of a single mandate. It was because of innovation, because a lot of natural gas has replaced coal. We do have market-based solar, but we cannot walk away from reliable energy. The left wants you to pay more for everything. We need you to pay less for energy. We cannot have these mandates and they'll be gone the day I'm President.

Q: Would you do anything to deal with the underlying cause?

DESANTIS: Innovate, and here's the thing. China is building two coal plants a week. So, why would we be cutting off our nose to spite our face? China is the problem here, and so hold them accountable.

Rip up the Green New Deal and throw it in the trash can

We will be energy dominant again in this country

Vivek RAMASWAMY: This isn't that complicated, guys, unlock American energy: drill, frack, burn coal and embrace nuclear, put people back to work by no longer paying them more to stay at home, reform the US Fed, stabilize the US dollar, and go to war.

Gov. Doug BURGUM: We can't just talk about the Biden economy because the economy, energy and national security are all tied together. We're paying too much for energy right now. But part of the reason why is because the Biden policies on energy.

No carbon tax; no wind energy subsidy

Ron DeSantis (R): Mixed. "I don't know if it's because of my activity, your activity, but.we've got to deal with it." Opposed resolution saying greenhouse gases contributed to climate change.

Andrew Gillum (D): Climate change is a real & urgent threat. Transition Florida to clean energy.

Q: Limit or tax production of greenhouse gases?

DeSantis: No. Voted against any potential carbon tax as negatively impacting economy, voted against greenhouse gas emission standards, & to cut EPA funding.

Gillum: Yes. Sees Trump withdrawal from Paris Climate accord as "disturbingly reckless."

Q: Government support for renewable energy?

DeSantis: No. Opposed continued wind energy subsidy, calling it "anti-competitive & economically harmful."

Gillum: Yes. "Transition Florida to clean energy as rapidly as possible."

No delay on Keystone pipeline for security & safety study

Let wind energy production tax credit expire.

Excerpts from letter to House leadership:

`We offer our full support for allowing the most anti-competitive and economically harmful tax provisions, specifically the wind energy production tax credit (PTC), to expire. Extending the wind PTC is a key priority for the Obama Administration and its efforts to prop up wind and other favored `green energy` technologies. Under President Obama, federal subsidies for wind have grown from $476 million per year when he first took office to $4.98 billion per year today. A one-year extension of the wind PTC would cost American taxpayers over $13.35 billion. [which] has caused significant price distortions in wholesale electricity markets.

`The value of the Wind PTC today it is worth 2.3 cents per kilowatt hour produced. A wind project that `begins construction` in 2013 could receive subsidies until 2026. By ending this program now we will have given the wind industry a more than generous phase-out for a credit that is being awarded to a mature technology with over 61,100 megawatts of generation installed across the country and 13,400 megawatts under development in 21 states. Over 43% of all electric generation nameplate capacity additions in 2012 were from wind, overtaking natural-gas fired generation as the leading source of new power generation.`

OnTheIssues note: The wind PTC subsidy will likely stay in place as long as Obama is president. In general, Democrats support alternative energy credits such as the PTC (which also applies to biomass and geothermal energy), although some Democrats from coal states or oil states oppose the PTC. The Republican signatories of this letter complain about the $5B annual subsidy for renewable energy--but they ignore fossil fuels subsidies including: $3B for fossil fuel tax subsidy; $1B for fossil energy R&D; and a $7B annual subsidy for oil & gas exploration.

Voted YES on banning offshore oil drilling in Gulf of Mexico.

Congressional Summary: House amendment to H.R. 5538, the Interior & Environment Agencies Appropriations bill for FY 2017. This amendment would prohibit funds to be used to research, investigate, or study offshore drilling in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico Planning Area of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).

Heritage Foundation recommends voting NO: (7/13/2016): The Gulf of Mexico continues to be a very important asset for our energy future and it continues to produce significant amounts of oil and natural gas. Yet the Eastern Gulf of Mexico has not participated to this point despite its significant potential. A 2014 Heritage Foundation report said: `Excessive regulations and bureaucratic inefficiencies have stymied oil production and prevented the full effects of the energy boom.` This amendment would block any potential progress that could take place by preventing the necessary work that would need to be prepared in the East Gulf for potential lease sales and eventual production.

Sierra Club recommends voting YES: (1/12/1974): The Sierra Club believes that no offshore petroleum exploration should occur unless and until the following conditions are met:

• Strengthen the Coastal Zone Management System.
• Lease sales should be prohibited in areas that possess:
  • High seismic activity
  • Fragile or unstable geological structures
  • Proximity to particularly diverse or productive marine ecosystems, or marine sanctuaries
  • Where visual impact of offshore structures would significantly reduce aesthetic values
  • Where the risks are unusually high.
• Petroleum exploration and production must be subject to automatic, heavy fines for all oil spills regardless of cause.
• The Sierra Club opposes leasing of lands beyond 200 meters depth until international agreements [define] ownership of sea floor resources.

Legislative outcome: Failed House 185 to 243 (no Senate vote).