Ann Kirkpatrick on Energy & Oil

Climate change is one of biggest national security threats

Ann Kirkpatrick: Global climate change is one of the biggest national security threats our country faces, now and certainly in the future.

We need to be creating incentives for corporations and American families, we should be investing in renewable energy technologies on a federal and state level. For example, Arizona should be leading the country in solar-- it would make the economy and advance the state.

Our country is already facing serious climate change repercussions, we need to start mitigating the problem to ensure we have resources for future generations. Advancing energy should not wreck the economy, it could make our economy.

Some government action for climate change

Kirkpatrick: Yes

McCain: Clear acknowledgement in the past, but more recently has questioned. Also voted against amendment stating that human activity causes climate change.

Q: On Climate Change: Should government limit the levels of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere?

Kirkpatrick: Mixed. Supported some, but opposed Obama's Clean Power Plan and sought to delay new ozone standards. Acknowledges need to fight climate change and reduce carbon footprint, but environmental record mixed--wary of efforts she says could harm local economies or keep us dependent on foreign oil.

McCain: Previously yes, currently no. Voted to overturn Obama's Clean Power Plan, delay ozone standard, and prohibit carbon tax.

Drill on public lands; drill offshore; keep oil in US

Right now, oil companies have more than 68 million acres of public land already available to be drilled. If oil companies began drilling on these 68 million acres today, they would nearly double U.S. oil production and cut oil imports from overseas by one-third.

I support drilling in new offshore regions as long as we guarantee that every drop of oil stays in the United States and is not shipped off to China.

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).

Voted YES to assist rural electric renewable energy.

Congressional Summary:This bill requires the Department of Energy to award grants to assist rural electric cooperatives with identifying, evaluating, and designing energy storage and microgrid projects that rely on renewable energy. (A microgrid is a group of interconnected energy resources that acts as a single controllable entity and that can disconnect from the grid to operate in island mode.)

SciPol statement in support: HR4447 would establish a microgrid grant and technical assistance program for rural electric cooperatives. Rural electric cooperatives are non-profit consumer-owned electric cooperatives that came into being in the 1930s to serve the needs of rural areas otherwise ignored by investor-owned (for-profit) utilities. Most rural electric power is still provided by rural electric co-ops.

Trump`s Statement of Administration Policy (against): HR 4447 would implement a top-down approach that undermines the Administration`s deregulatory agenda. HR 4447 would lead to higher energy costs and discourage innovation. It would create a `green bank` that would subsidize projects similar to wellknown failures like Solyndra. Finally, HR 4447 would interfere with our own energy destiny free from the reins of the Paris Climate Accord and international organizations that ignore the clear lessons that have led to American energy independence.

Common Dreams (against): Over 100 groups--including major environmental, climate and progressive organizations--oppose HR 4447. The heaviest burdens of the climate crisis fall on low-income communities and communities of color. `We applaud the environmental justice measures in this bill, but cannot support legislation that extends our country`s reliance upon fossil fuels,` said the Executive Director of the Progressive Democrats of America.

Legislative outcome: Passed House 220-185-24, Roll #206 on Sep. 24, 2020.