Comments on: The National Conference of State Legislatures

By: John Ghormley

John Ghormley — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 22:28:42 +0000

Indeed, Mr. Barnes, I think you are missing something very important in the PickensPlan. While moving our cars off gasoline and onto natural gas would be an improvement, the PickensPlan doesn\’t advocate that in the near term. In its drive to move to natural gas as a bridge fuel for the immediate future, the plan calls for building a new fleet of trucks–long haul, over the road trucks–powered by natural gas. That technology exists and has been in place for over ten years. It\’s proven and has been, and is being done as we speak.

There is no call to retrofit existing trucks. Where that retrofit can be done to aid the operator financially, it would be encouraged. However, to mandate that newly purchased trucks be fueled by natural gas would be the starting point toward moving away from much of our dependence on foreign oil. The market can drive some of this but there will have to be mandates and/or initiatives so the plan will be followed and to prevent things from being done as they\’ve always been done in the past

With just a little advanced warning, the refueling infrastructure would be augmented to include natural gas along with diesel at most truck stops. Since long haul truckers don\’t have to refuel as often as cars do, there would not be the need for an NG refueling station on every corner. Once there were places along the major thoroughfares where one could refuel with NGV, more people would begin to make the transition in short haul vehicles, and even cars, on their own due to the benefits of natural gas as a transportation fuel.

Now be assured, this is not the only initiative proposed in the plan to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. Another big consumer of foreign oil is energy generation. So the PickensPlan addresses that with the transition to solar and wind generation as well as clean coal, nuclear or any other form of renewable or US produced resource. As renewables, solar and wind are essentially free and ever present. The transmission grid will have to be improved in the not too distant future, anyway, due to its age and increasing demand. It seems to make sense to improve it to be able too handle transmission of the power generated in the wind and solar corridors of the US to each coast.

One of the main points of the PickensPlan is the as a nation we institute a definitive energy plan. Our nation has never had one and it\’s high time we did. The immediate focus of the New Energy Army is to use public pressure to see the new congress and administration put such a plan in place within the first 100 days that will reduce our dependence on foreign oil by 30% within ten years.

As Boone likes to say, \”A fool with a plan will beat a genius with no plan anytime.\” What must happen first, is to adopt a US energy plan. After that, will there be issues and problems that must be overcome? Definitely, but we, as a nation, have shown we can overcome problems to achieve the things we desire. This will be just another exercise like many we\’ve engaged in before now.

By: Don Barnes

Don Barnes — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 19:39:07 +0000

Perhaps I am missing something in the Pickens Plan ? I have read a lot about Boone\’s plan and I have not seen anything like I am going to suggest here. I too, believe that our state legislators and the federal government are going to have to get behind the plan for it to ever succeed. Relaxing governement rules and regulations by the EPA, making it possible for the auto manufactureres to build Natural Gas powered vehicels here in the USA as they now are in other coutries, would be a step inthe right direction. I believe too, that a plan is going to have to be devised to encourage gas station owners and individuals allover the USA to install refilling station islands at their stations is going to be paramount to the success of the pla. Why couldn\’t the Small Business Administration be invloved, offering low interest loans and tax credits to those wanting to build such failities all across America ?
In addition, help needs to be given to homeowners (car owners) to install home refilling stations at their homes for Natural Gas powered vehicles. Why not package a plan up to offer to entrepreneurs who would like to get in on the ground floor and start a business that would sell and install such units at homes, and, in automobiles (conversion kits) ?
People, including the country\’s mechanics, would have to be trained to work on NGP vehicles thereby creating even more jobs and business opportunities. Somehow, allof this is going to have to be \”orchestrated\” in a manner where the vehhicles being manufactured, the gas station refilling stations and the home units are all available within an acceptable time frame and with such authority and publicity, to illustrate that allof this IS GOING TO HAPPEN in unison ! Since our nations banks are all in bad shape, I think that the government is going to have to come up with a good plan to make all of this happen financially and withina given time frame ! Please forgive any \”typo\’s\” in my comments !!

By: Sandy

Sandy — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 13:56:17 +0000

Excellent!! I hope you get to many states–your expertise is so influential. I really believe the changes will have to be implemented bottom (state level) up.

By: Ryan Jones

Ryan Jones — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 22:59:12 +0000

Nice work Boone!