Military, Business Leaders Release Energy Security Plan

(The following article is based on information obtained by the National Association of Chiefs of Police's National Security Committee.) The Energy Security Leadership Council (ESLC), a project of Securing America's Future Energy (SAFE), yesterday released A National Strategy for Energy Security, a comprehensive plan that offers the public and policymakers specific solutions to the very real threats posed by our nation's dependence on oil.

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The National Strategy lays out a pathway toward a long-term goal of an electrified transportation system that is no longer dependent on oil, along with the interim policies needed to reach that goal while keeping our economy and our nation strong and secure. "Our oil dependence has put our nation at unacceptable risk," ESLC Co-Chairman Frederick W. Smith, Chairman, President and CEO of FedEx Corp., said. "The plan we are offering today includes details about exactly how we can reduce that risk. Most important, we must electrify our transportation system to end its complete dependence on oil. But that is not a simple task, which is why we lay out the specific steps needed to reach it. It is also a goal that will take many years to reach, which is why we recommend policies -- including expanded domestic supply of oil and natural gas, reformed and improved fuel economy standards, and increased support for R&D -- that will strengthen our economic and national security while we work toward the long-term goal," he said. "Our safety and our prosperity are in peril," ESLC Co-Chairman General P.X. Kelley (Ret.), 28th Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps, said. "Yet too many look for scapegoats or offer half-measures. Blaming someone else is not a solution, and half of a plan is not a plan. The report we are releasing today is the culmination of six months of careful, in-depth examination of our oil dependence and the ways to reduce it. This plan is unique: it is bold, it is comprehensive, it is detailed, and it has the unanimous support of the business and military leaders on the Energy Security Leadership Council." The Energy Security Leadership Council is a group of business leaders and retired senior military officers who are committed to improving America's energy security. They have received strong praise from lawmakers, particularly for their 2006 Recommendations to the Nation on Reducing US Oil Dependence, which helped to shape the landmark Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA). "SAFE and the Energy Security Leadership Council have become an important part of our nation's energy debate. Their commitment and their effectiveness have made them valuable partners in the ongoing effort to pass comprehensive legislation to improve our nation's energy security. I look forward to continuing to work with them as we tackle these vital issues together," Senator John Thune (R-SD) said. The National Strategy for Energy Security is the natural successor to the 2006 Recommendations. This set of recommendations, however, encompasses an even bolder vision than in 2006, by proposing specific policies in the following areas: -- Electrifying the U.S. transportation sector to diversify energy supplies -- Accelerating the development and deployment of new energy-related technology -- Reducing demand for oil through improved vehicle efficiency -- Increasing energy access through expanded domestic supply -- Managing risks and global issues Web Site: secureenergy.org/