Tenney: A realistic path to securing America’s energy independence

Click here to view the full op-ed published in the Cortland Standard.

The conversation about energy and the environment in Washington too often prioritizes unrealistic plans over practical solutions. Supporters of policies like the Green New Deal overlook scientific and economic realities, like how their policies would raise energy prices, pass costs down to families, and create a massive reliance on Communist China for our energy needs.

The truth is that an energy sector completely reliant on wind or solar cannot meet the needs of our modern economy. For the massive sum of $3.7 trillion and at the expense of 1.4 million American jobs, proposals like the Green New Deal are only expected to reduce our CO2 emissions by a fraction of the plan’s own goal.   

My approach is different. I believe strongly that the United States must continue to be a leader in promoting energy innovation and preserving our environment, while also safely and responsibly harnessing our natural resources to solidify our energy independence and economic security.

I joined a bipartisan group of legislators in Congress to introduce H.R. 4153, the Clean Energy Future Through Innovation Act. This bill capitalizes on affordable and reliable power production from a range of sources while investing in forward-thinking energy technologies that will have a positive impact on our environment. It uses innovation and commonsense regulatory reform to drive a least-cost, fuel diverse modernization of our electric power sector. It requires an 80% CO2 reduction in the power sector by 2050 and decreases the cost of electricity.

This bill is bipartisan and realistic, something that sets it apart from most others. It is focused on carbon reduction, but it allows the power sector to adapt to new energy technologies and to utilize options like carbon capture for natural gas, which is discouraged under our current tax code. This will cultivate a diverse power ecosystem far more resilient against the price spikes and energy shortages we are seeing in Europe and across the globe. It also provides a much more realistic timeline for CO2 reductions than any other proposal out there. It gives utility companies the chance to plan and technology the time to catch up.

But continuing to develop clean energy technologies is only part of the solution. We must also focus on reducing our dependence on China and ensuring we have access to the raw materials we need to drive our ingenuity. In one way or another, China currently controls 85% of the world’s rare earth minerals supply. We rely on Beijing for nearly all the clean energy technologies we are developing today, from batteries to solar panels. This is unacceptable. America must be self-sufficient in the production of energy and energy technologies to both boost our economy and avoid the obvious vulnerabilities of relying on an adversary like China.

The United States is home to large deposits of rare earth minerals. These domestic sources can be extracted in environmentally friendly ways, with a fraction of the economic impact of those from China or Chinese-controlled mines abroad, and without any of the forced labor and human rights concerns. I have joined with my colleagues in Congress to support H.R. 543, the POWER Act, a bill to prevent the president from unilaterally blocking energy or mineral leasing on federal lands and waters without congressional approval. This will give the private sector the certainty it needs to make the investments required to safely use these valuable resources.

By responsibly utilizing our abundant supply of natural resources, we can drive the technologies of the future, protect our environment, reduce energy costs, and support the creation of well-paying, stable American jobs. Improving our prosperity and caring for our planet is not a zero-sum game. We can do both and together we can ensure our nation is at the center of the green economy and the next century is yet another American Century.