OPINION:
Europe is in the grip of an energy and economic crisis, driven in part by a radical environmental policy agenda that has hurt its ability to counter Russia‘s aggression. Europe’s energy prices have been on the rise due to unrealistic climate policies that forced the early retirement of baseload coal and nuclear plants, increased reliance on more expensive, less reliable renewable resources, and discouraged the construction of infrastructure for importing American natural gas. As a result of “rush-to-green” policies, Europe grew more dependent on Russia and more vulnerable to energy supply disruptions and price increases.
Now, Putin is weaponizing Russia‘s dominance over Europe’s natural gas supply—prices are 10 times higher than a year ago—and threatening to cut supplies further, which jeopardizes Europeans’ ability to heat their homes this winter. EU leaders have asked member countries to reduce the gas they consume by 15% in preparation, but it may not be enough if Russia continues cutting supply.
We cannot allow Europe’s energy crisis to become America’s future. We’re already seeing a preview of these radical Euro-like policies in California. Governor Newsom’s rush-to-green mandates are phasing out fossil fuels and other reliable sources. California’s grid can’t keep up. Meanwhile, they’ve doubled-down on unreliable and weather-dependent sources like wind and solar. The results are devastating—life-threatening rolling blackouts, energy rationing, reliance on Chinese supply chains, and record high costs.
California’s strategy is divorced from reality. Yet the Biden administration and Democrats in Congress want to nationalize it. Since day one of their one-party rule, Democrats have been shutting down American energy. President Biden shut down the Keystone XL pipeline on his first day in office. They’ve paused new oil and gas leases on federal lands while delaying permits for pipelines, LNG facilities, and other natural gas infrastructure projects. According to the Wall Street Journal, President Biden has leased fewer acres of federal land for oil and gas drilling than any other president since Harry Truman.
This is unaffordable and jeopardizes American energy security. The price of natural gas in the U.S. has surged to a 14-year high. Officials forecast residential electricity prices will increase 7.5% year over year. Oil prices hit historic highs this summer and remain higher than when President Biden took office. To make matters worse, over the past year, families have seen their grocery bills surge 13.5% because of inflation—the biggest increase since March 1979. And the administration’s rush-to-green policies have made us entirely dependent on China for many critical minerals—an essential ingredient for a cleaner energy future and necessary for manufacturing batteries and advanced energy technologies. Yet the administration is shutting down mining projects in states like Arizona and Minnesota, playing right into China’s hands.
Restoring a strong energy mix of America’s abundant resources is how we flip the switch on American energy, bring down prices, and ensure our economic and energy security. Hydropower, for instance, is the largest source of clean, renewable energy in the country—accounting for over 30% of total U.S. renewable electricity generation. With solutions like the Hydropower Clean Energy Future Act the U.S. could double hydropower production without building a single new dam.
Nuclear power, which is emissions-free, could help make energy affordable and reliable for Americans, while also addressing climate change concerns. The U.S. currently imports about 14% of its uranium and 28% of all nuclear fuel enrichment services from Russia. America must secure its nuclear supply chain and reassert itself as a world leader in this technology. We cannot continue reliance on or cede leadership to China and Russia.
Energy and Commerce Republicans are leading on climate change solutions that will unleash America’s energy potential—the Securing Cleaner American Energy Agenda. Our solutions would secure our critical mineral supply, unlock domestic oil and natural gas production, and modernize and improve our energy infrastructure, like dams. Additionally, this framework would lift regulatory and permitting burdens to create an environment that encourages innovation and advanced technologies in industries across the board, including nuclear.
The U.S. has done more to lift people out of poverty and raise the standard of living than any nation in the history of the world. That is the promise of America. Free enterprise and innovation, not the Democrats’ rush-to-green mandates, is the proven and best way to restore prosperity and optimism. It’s time to flip the switch on our abundant resources to lower costs for Americans, improve their quality of life, and ensure a cleaner energy future.
• U.S. Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Washington Republican, is the Ranking Member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. She represents the state’s Fifth Congressional District. She served as Chair of the House Republican Conference from 2012 to 2018.
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