Your "No time for energy policy" (OGJ, July 1, 2000, p. 21), deserved an immediate response, but I have been delayed by the pressing business of summer vacation.
In my many years of subscribing to the Journal, I have never disagreed more completely with an editorial than this one. If there is ever a time to press for attention to energy policy that is better than an election year, I can't imagine when it would be. All too often we in the industry groan and moan over what our politicians do to us and not for us, yet hang back waiting for the return of better times before we press our case. In an election year, as with no other time, politicians wish to be on the right side of every issue. When oil and gas prices are extraordinarily high, the US voter becomes agitated and looks to the government for reasons why the price run up has occurred. We in the industry believe that one logical reason is the barriers erected by government to drilling on offshore and onshore Federal acreage. We also believe that various tax reduction incentives could bring about greater volumes of US production of oil and gas. And finally, we also believe that a US government role in diplomacy and coordination with other oil producing nations, including those in OPEC, is of fundamental importance to our industry and to the US economy.
To the extent that the current administration is neglecting to fulfill what we perceive as the proper course of action regarding our industry, we need to forcefully point this out to the voting public. Only by doing so will we have a chance of eliciting promises and commitments from the current administration or from the new team of politicians that hopes to replace them. This is our system of government, like it or not, and it works best when we get involved. We need to point out where things are wrong and how the current obstacles to abundant low cost energy could be reduced or eliminated. The OGJ is one important voice for the industry. Let's use it!
David W. Keefe
Rye, NH
