Dear Ms Feinstein:
There is just so much about your letter that bothers me. I really don’t know any other way to rebut except to address it, one paragraph at a time, with my responses in red italicized type.
Dear Mr. Petersen:
Thank you for writing to me to express your support for increasing domestic oil and gas exploration. I appreciate hearing from you on this important energy issue, and I welcome the opportunity to respond.
Your thanks are not necessary. In fact I don’t believe that you even read my letter nor do I believe that you appreciate hearing from anyone with different views on energy issues. So, in my opinion, your expressions of appreciation are disingenuous.
I share your concern that rising energy prices are placing a burden on American families and agree that it is important for the United States to continue to develop its oil and gas resources in concert with our efforts to reduce demand. I do not believe, however, that the United States can drill our way out of these record energy prices. According to the Department of Energy (DOE):
You share my concern? Look, I was born at night; but it wasn’t last night. You ride around in limos and fly on private charter jets in total contradiction and disregard for the concerns you publicly spew about “carbon footprints,” “global warming,” and “saving the planet” while you expect us to give up our cars, haul our families around on bicycles and stop our complaining about the high cost of gasoline.
Frankly, I care very little about what you “believe” about our ability to drill our way out of these problems. Americans are capable of doing great things when government gets out of the way. But here is a helpful idea for you if you really want to reduce carbon dioxide emissions: STOP TALKING.
- The United States consumes more than 20.5 million barrels of oil per day - or 25 percent of total global consumption - but has less than three percent of the known global reserves; The operative word here is “known.” Only the ignorant are fooled by the insertion of that little adjective. That statistic is, at best, an opinion; a guess; a presumption or perhaps it’s your wish. The unknown quantity of global reserves will remain unknown until we are allowed to search for and discover them. Obstructive government (that’s you and your ilk) needs to get out of the way.
- Opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to oil and gas exploration would not increase domestic crude oil production until 2018; This is another example of using wishful thinking to obstruct progress. And if you wait until 2018, we won’t see any increase until 2028. That was the same lame argument used by Bill Clinton and if he hadn’t obstructed drilling and exploration in ANWR then, we’d have it by now. Besides that, all the caribou are really in favor of this.
- Additional oil production from opening ANWR is estimated to yield 745,000 barrels per day - or 3.6 percent of daily U.S. consumption - and would reduce the price of oil by no more than $1.44 per barrel; and (estimated? Here again is more presumption.)
- Lifting the Federal moratorium on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) would not have a significant impact on domestic crude oil and natural gas production or prices before 2030. Blah, blah, blah, ad nauseum. Why not just lift the moratorium and let’s see what happens.
You may also be interested to know that between 1999 and 2007, the number of drilling permits issued to the oil industry increased by 361 percent. Over the same period, however, gas prices increased from $1.25 per gallon to over $4.00 per gallon. The oil industry also has access to significant oil and gas resources on federal lands and waters that they have yet to use. According to the Department of the Interior: This kind of drivel insults the intelligence of informed, thinking people. You liberals are not concerned about economic freedom, growth, or development; you are more concerned about social engineering.
- The majority of crude oil and natural gas believed to be available on the OCS - 79 percent of oil and 82 percent of natural gas - are already available for drilling through existing leases; and (subject to oppressive and burdensome governmental and environmental restrictions and conditions)
- Nearly 64 million acres of federal land and water leased to the oil and gas industry are not being used to increase domestic production. (because of oppressive and burdensome governmental and environmental restrictions and conditions)
And best regards to you too, Senator.
Respectfully,
Ralph M. Petersen U.S. Citizen, patriot, unhyphenated American, unwilling tax payer, voter, and your employer.
Sent to Dianne Feinstein August 26, 2008
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