Montana 2006 3-way Senate Debate: on Energy & Oil

Conrad Burns: Agricultural oil sources reduce foreign energy dependence

JONES: The cheapest electrical power is nuclear energy. We must re-institute nuclear power. Coal is another one. Montana is rich in coal, which can be liquefied into gasoline.

BURNS: Last year we passed an energy bill, and opened up some new areas for energy production. And we found more oil and we found more gas. In next year’s farm bill, agriculture will have a role in reducing our dependence on foreign energy, both in bio-diesel and ethanol plants. 11 million acres in Montana can produce more oil from oilseeds than the soybean folks in the Midwest. We must use those in our bio-diesels and bio-lubricants. That’s what brings down the price of gasoline, when policies inject competition into the market.

TESTER: If I were not running for US Senate, on my farm, we would be crushing safflower, because I’ve run the numbers, and it works, and it provides a renewable energy source that makes sense.

Conrad Burns: Global warming has occurred since the Ice Age

BURNS: We’ve been warming since the Ice Age, and that continues. That’s a pretty well-known fact.

TESTER: The truth is, the polar ice cap is half as thick as it was in 1950. Yes, Earth is warming since the Ice Age, that’s correct, but it’s warming much more rapidly now than it ever has in our history.

JONES: There is global warming; it’s very slight; it’s a recovery from what’s called the Little Ice Age, when the average temperatures were much lower. In the years 500AD to 1000AD, temperatures were much higher than they are right now. Global warming is a natural recovery, and is not harmful. Most of it is only happening in the northern hemisphere. Scientists have proven that carbon dioxide emissions contribute only about 5% of the total greenhouse gases. If we reduce that worldwide, do you think it will have a big impact no greenhouse gases? No it will not. This is a natural occurrence and we should not make any effort to change it.

Conrad Burns: Kyoto Accord hurts economy; focus on alternative fuels

BURNS: I would not. #1, it taxes the economy. And it doesn’t get to the real folks that should have some way of controlling their greenhouse gases. That’s the reason I’m a great believer in alternative fuels, and wind, and solar, and fuel cells. We have to do everything that we can do, and stay within the economy and keep it growing, to deal with greenhouse gases.

TESTER: Us pulling out of the Kyoto Accord is exactly what’s wrong. We need to have communication with folks around the world. This is a worldwide problem. I hope [global warming] is a glitch in the environment, but we need to treat it in case it’s not. Our universities can be a big player in how we can sequester

Jon Tester: Agricultural oil sources are profitable and renewable

JONES: The cheapest electrical power is nuclear energy. We must re-institute nuclear power. Coal is another one. Montana is rich in coal, which can be liquefied into gasoline. Government over-regulates the energy industry.

BURNS: Last year we opened up some new areas for energy production. And we found more oil and we found more gas. That’s what brings down the price of gasoline, when policies inject competition into the market.

TESTER: America’s energy independence is critically important, and we have a tremendous opportunity in Montana to help America become energy-independent. If I were not running for US Senate, on my farm, we would be crushing safflower, because I’ve run the numbers, and it works, and it provides a renewable energy source that makes sense. We did a lot of things in the last session to help promote bio-fuels and renewables and wind energy.

Jon Tester: Kyoto Accord needs worldwide communication & US leadership

BURNS: No; it doesn’t get to the real folks that should have some way of controlling their greenhouse gases. That’s the reason I’m a great believer in alternative fuels. We have to do everything that we can do, [but] stay within the economy growing.

TESTER: Us pulling out of the Kyoto Accord is exactly what’s wrong. We need to have communication with folks around the world. This is a worldwide problem. I hope [global warming] is a glitch in the environment, but we need to treat it in case it’s not. I’d point out that, with the exception of wind and solar, you still have carbon emissions from other renewables, like biofuels and ethanol. Our universities can be a big player in how we can sequester carbon, and solve this carbon issue. We can solve this problem but it’s going to take some research dollars, and some commitment, and some leadership. The folks that are there can’t do it. We need a change.

Jon Tester: Global warming is much more rapid now than historically

BURNS: We’ve been warming since the Ice Age, and that continues. That’s a pretty well-known fact.

TESTER: The truth is, the polar ice cap is half as thick as it was in 1950. Yes, Earth is warming since the Ice Age, that’s correct, but it’s warming much more rapidly now than it ever has in our history.

JONES: There is global warming; it’s very slight; it’s a recovery from what’s called the Little Ice Age, when the average temperatures were much lower. In the years 500AD to 1000AD, temperatures were much higher than they are right now. Global warming is a natural recovery, and is not harmful. Most of it is only happening in the northern hemisphere. Scientists have proven that carbon dioxide emissions contribute only about 5% of the total greenhouse gases. If we reduce that worldwide, do you think it will have a big impact no greenhouse gases? No it will not. This is a natural occurrence and we should not make any effort to change it.

Stan Jones: More nuclear plants and more liquefied coal

JONES: The cheapest electrical power is nuclear energy. But this nation has pretty much put the kibosh on nuclear energy, but they’re the cleanest, cheapest, & safest form of energy. New designs can burn used fuel, that we are storing in underground vaults, and use it up completely. We must re-institute nuclear power. Coal is another one. Montana is rich in coal, which can be liquefied into gasoline. If government got out of the way, we would already be using it. Government over-regulates the energy industry.

BURNS: Last year we opened up some new areas for energy production. And we found more oil and we found more gas. That’s what brings down the price of gasoline, when policies inject competition into the market.

TESTER: If I were not running for US Senate, on my farm, we would be crushing safflower, because I’ve run the numbers, and it works, and it provides a renewable energy source that makes sense.

Stan Jones: Global warming is a natural occurrence since 1000AD

BURNS: We’ve been warming since the Ice Age, and that continues. That’s a pretty well-known fact.

TESTER: The truth is, the polar ice cap is half as thick as it was in 1950. Yes, Earth is warming since the Ice Age, that’s correct, but it’s warming much more rapidly now than it ever has in our history.

JONES: There is global warming; it’s very slight; it’s a recovery from what’s called the Little Ice Age, when the average temperatures were much lower. In the years 500AD to 1000AD, temperatures were much higher than they are right now. Global warming is a natural recovery, and is not harmful. Most of it is only happening in the northern hemisphere. Scientists have proven that carbon dioxide emissions contribute only about 5% of the total greenhouse gases. If we reduce that worldwide, do you think it will have a big impact no greenhouse gases? No it will not. This is a natural occurrence and we should not make any effort to change it.