South Carolina State – 9/27/08: Group Focuses Efforts on Energy

9/27/08

With gasoline prices still hovering near $4 a gallon and home heating bills expected to set a record this winter, there’s no doubt the nation is facing an energy crisis.

A new group out of Washington, D.C., wants to bring that message to Americans and get them talking about solutions.

The Institute for 21st Century Energy, an affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, is coming to the Columbia Rotary Club on Monday. Frederick Smith, the group’s vice president, talked with The State about energy alternatives and personal responsibility.

What’s your goal in speaking to the Rotary Club in Columbia next week and other similar organizations nationwide?

“To just emphasize the point that there is an energy crisis looming,” Smith said. “The price at the (gas) pump is what gets people’s attention, but it really is a much bigger, broader issue. It’s a global issue.

Smith said its important for citizens to be informed about the issues and engage. “It’s really a dialogue.”

What are some of the ideas that are emerging for energy independence?

“We believe that really the proper terminology is energy interdependence,” Smith said. “In reality, the U.S. is going to have to be dependent on imported sources of energy for the foreseeable future. ... We can reduce our dependence.”

Smith said the institute’s “13 pillars” for energy interdependence are outlined in its open letter to the next president and Congress (energyxxi.org), including increasing nuclear capacity and immediately expanding domestic oil and gas exploration and production.

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