Since liberals in Congress continue to ignore the pleas from hardworking middle class families, Feeney released his top ten suggestions for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to address the rising cost of fuel. Over the Memorial Day recess, Feeney heard the pleas from Central Floridians to address the pain they face at the pump today. Here is Feeney's take:
Liberals in Congress continue to ignore the pleas from hardworking middle-class families who feel the pinch each time they hit the gas pump. Enough is enough when it comes to Speaker Pelosi's empty gas price relief promises - the time to offer relief is now. Nancy Pelosi should get her liberal dogma out of the way to unleash America’s demonstrated ability to produce energy from abundant domestic sources.
So here are my Top 10 ways to eradicate the Pelosi premium:
1. Renounce the Democrat's current “Just Say No” energy policy that refuses to develop readily available domestic energy sources. America’s energy portfolio should be broad and diverse, include conventional and unconventional sources and not exclude any economically feasible source. Saying no to tried and true means of producing energy cripples America’s modern economy.
2. Open up the 2,000 of the 19,600,000 acres of Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil exploration. Such authorization would send a strong signal that America is serious about developing its energy reserves.
3. Allow environmentally responsible development of oil shale and tar sands in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming so those alternative oil sources can be brought on line like the Canadians have developed their tar sands in Alberta.
4. Allow environmentally responsible exploration of other domestic oil and natural gas reserves that are now off-limits (Rocky Mountain region, Alaska, offshore sites).
5. Encourage the greater use of coal and nuclear energy to produce the electricity needed to air condition our homes and power our high technology economy.
6. Reduce the number of gasoline blends required under local air quality rules so gasoline can be readily sent to areas of shortage.
7. Waive environmental rules, as needed, regarding the formulation of gasoline and diesel fuels. These rules provide limited improvements to air pollution but increase production costs and hamper efforts to use readily available heavy crude oil.
8. Streamline the permitting process for refinery construction and expansion so more gasoline and diesel fuel refining capacity can be brought online.
9. Encourage improved energy efficiency by offering conservation tax incentives.
10. Ensure that America becomes the energy laboratory of the future through government and privately funded research. We possess the world's best technology and should apply it so we:
o Produce more oil and natural gas from existing wells;
o Find and develop new sources of oil and natural gas including non-traditional sources like tar sands, oil shale, coal-bed methane, gas shale, and tight gas sands;
o Improve coal burning and nuclear energy technologies so environmental impacts are lessened;
o Produce more alternate fuels and renewable energy;
o Improve energy efficiency.