News

A recent article at Free Enterprise outlined U.S. Chamber President Tom Donohue’s suggestion for easing the problem of solving the so-called fiscal cliff: development of U.S. conventional energy resources. This would boost employment and output, lower energy prices for consumers, and bring in more revenue for various levels of government. If policymakers are serious as they wring their hands about the stalled economy and mushrooming public debt, then they should jump at this win-win...
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  The EPA is planning to tighten its gasoline regulations from Tier 2 to Tier 3 standards, which would reduce permissible sulfur content from the current 30 parts per million (ppm) down to 10 ppm. (I have written a full overview of the economic issues surrounding Tier 2 and Tier 3 in this earlier IER post.) In contrast to those warning about the impacts on gasoline prices from even tighter regulations, a study  from Navigant Economics seeks to defuse these concerns, claiming that Tier 3...
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  In a recent NYT op ed , Harvard Law professor and former Obama official Cass Sunstein cited Ronald Reagan, of all figures, as inspiration for more federal regulation on the transportation and energy sectors. Sunstein’s angle was to say that Reagan endorsed the cost/benefit analysis arguing for the US agreement to fight the “ozone hole,” and therefore Sunstein says, today’s conservatives should also support mandates on fuel efficiency and restrictions on greenhouse gas emissions....
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  In a previous post I explained how it wasn’t Hurricane Sandy, but government price controls , that were causing the long gas lines in New Jersey and New York. As usual with government regulations, they caused problems that the government then swooped in to “fix,” patting itself on the back. In this case, allegedly pro-business officials Governor Christie and Mayor Bloomberg instituted license plate restrictions, and then praised the wonders in reducing the harmful effects of their...
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WASHINGTON D.C. -- The American Energy Alliance President Thomas Pyle responded today to the decision of the Environmental Protection Agency to deny a waiver request by seven state governors seeking relief from the federal Renewable Fuel Standard. "President Obama famously promised Vladimir Putin more flexibility after his re-election, but he's offered no such flexibility to governors seeking relief from rising consumer prices in their states. Congress specifically authorized the EPA to...
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  The International Energy Agency (IEA) released its 2012 edition of the World Energy Outlook (WEO) this week and proclaims “North America leads shift in global energy balance.” This should come as no surprise to many familiar with the vast amount of natural resource potential that Americans are blessed with and the new energy revolution that is taking place with shale oil and natural gas. According to the IEA , the United States will become a net exporter of natural gas by 2020 and...
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  In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, government officials in New Jersey and New York interfered with the energy sector and made a bad situation much worse. By threatening to crack down on “price gouging,” the authorities crippled the ability of the market to respond to the emergency shortage of gasoline. Now, faced with the disastrous consequences of their initial policy, the authorities are upping the ante by cracking down all the harder. The whole sordid episode is a textbook example of...
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  The American Energy Alliance will conclude its three-month “American Products. American Power”  bus tour today by delivering 14,444 petitions to the regulators and lawmakers in Washington. The 18,000-mile, 17 state bus tour connected with thousands of Americans at over 50 events. The message of these concerned citizens is clear - this country needs policies that treat our reliable and affordable energy resources as assets, not liabilities. In a letter sent to the leaders in...
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  Bjorn Lomborg has a great article in Foreign Policy walking through the problems with a major new study warning of the need for government action on climate change in order to avoid millions (!) of deaths. Lomborg’s critique shows how the climate change debate, especially as it’s reported in the major media, is full of exaggerations and non sequiturs. Even though the advocates of massive new government regulations like to use the phrase “climate denier,” this has nothing to do...
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  WASHINGTON D.C. -- American Energy Alliance President Thomas Pyle released the following statement concerning today's jobs report  by the Bureau of Labor Statistics: "Today's employment report underscores the need for new, pro-growth policies for the energy and manufacturing sectors.  Mining lost 9,000 jobs in October, and this vital industry has shed 17,000 jobs since May. Manufacturing jobs were flat again this month, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that this sector has...
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