U.S. Rep. Jay Inslee (D-Wash) has introduced legislation to establish federal policy on planning, building and operating a 21st century electricity transmission grid with a special focus on bringing renewable energy sources on-line.

Rep. Inslee’s bill is specifically designed to “to increase the production of electricity from renewable energy, to enhance the performance and efficiency of the Nation’s electric power network, and to improve its security and reliability.”

The bill also has as a goal, “to facilitate the establishment of a sustainable transmission grid consisting of long-distance, extra-high voltage transmission lines constructed to move remote clean energy generation resources to markets while improving system efficiency and reliability, and such additional transmission lines as are needed to connect renewable energy generators into this extra-high voltage grid.”

On the Senate side, Harry Reid, the Senate’s Democratic leader, Senators Jeff Bingaman (New Mexico) and Byron Dorgan (North Dakota) have offered three of the most prominent proposals. Each would require comprehensive plans for the interconnections, and would, to varying degrees, expand FERC’s authority to locate big new projects and allocate their costs.

A modern, efficient electric transmission grid is a central tenet of the Pickens Plan.

Rep. Inslee is a member of the House Committee on Energy & Commerce; the Committee on Natural Resources; as well as the Select Committee on Energy Independence & Global Warming.

Inslee’s bill allows states and regions 18 months to come up with a plan for a new electrical grid which specifically enhances the opportunity for wind, solar and other renewable sources of electricity generation to easily connect. If no plan can be agreed upon, then the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) would step in and move the process forward.

Inslee’s bill also provides for FERC to have the power to site a 21st century transmission grid which would be the same power it already has for siting natural gas lines. Natural gas is the most widely distributed resource in the United States behind only water.

The bill also allocates the costs of building the new transmission grid and sets emissions standards for new generation plants connecting to the grid.

– The Pickens Team

Army!

We’re on the march. Every measure of how much President Obama has produced in his first 100 days includes a discussion on how much of the Pickens Plan has been put into place or is well along in the legislative process.

You know that I have insisted that a National Energy Policy be a non-partisan effort. Well, it’s even better than that. The legislation which is working its way through Congress including…

- Natural gas as a major transportation fuel
- A 21st century transmission grid
- Energy efficiency
- Building out our wind & solar capabilities
- Renewable Electricity Standard

…have the support of Democrats and Republicans. And that’s because they know that over 1.5 million Americans – not Republicans or Democrats but Americans – are watching them very closely to see that they do their jobs.

In his first 100 days, President Obama moved aggressively to push a stimulus plan that jump-starts our nation’s move to renewable energy, particularly wind and solar. That’s great, and I know he recognizes the need to address the continuing economic and national security threat of foreign oil.

You remember that the President promised to end imports from the Middle East within 10 years. The only way he can get that done is to replace foreign oil/diesel in transportation with a domestic fuel, and the only fuel that will substitute for imported diesel in all classes of vehicles is clean, domestic, and abundant natural gas, which is available in ever-increasing supplies.

For four decades, every U.S. President has promised to make us energy independent, but it hasn’t happened. President Obama knows that, and he has made reducing our oil imports a priority. Let’s give him credit – in the midst of the recession and all that entails, the President hasn’t let energy fall by the legislative wayside.

My commitment to the Pickens Plan is as strong today as it was last July 8 when we kicked it off. I’ve presided over dozens of overflow town hall meetings on the subject, I know that’s what grassroots America – that’s you and your fellow members of the New Energy Army – wants as well.

Boone

A major article in the Wall Street Journal echoes what T. Boone Pickens has been saying for nearly a year: There is enough natural gas under the continental United States to serve all of our needs for upwards of 100 years.

The piece is headlined: “U.S. Gas Fields Go From Bust to Boom” and is written by reporter Ben Cassleman who follows oil and gas issues for the Journal.

He writes about the Haynesville Shale Field under Louisiana which

could hold some 200 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. That’s the equivalent of 33 billion barrels of oil, or 18 years’ worth of current U.S. oil production. Some industry executives think the field could be several times that size.

Casslelman writes what Boone has been saying in Town Halls, on TV, radio and newspaper interviews:

Huge new fields also have been found in Texas, Arkansas and Pennsylvania. One industry-backed study estimates the U.S. has more than 2,200 trillion cubic feet of gas waiting to be pumped, enough to satisfy nearly 100 years of current U.S. natural-gas demand.

The discoveries have spurred energy experts and policy makers to start looking to natural gas in their pursuit of a wide range of goals: easing the impact of energy-price spikes, reducing dependence on foreign oil, lowering “greenhouse gas” emissions and speeding the transition to renewable fuels.

We know that, in spite of the recession, we are still importing nearly two-thirds of the oil we use. The Journal story confirms,

The U.S. is increasingly reliant on supplies imported from the Middle East and other politically unstable regions. In contrast, 98% of the natural gas consumed in the U.S. is produced in North America.

Casselman points out that new drilling technologies, first developed for the Barnet Shale deposit in Texas, have led to the new estimates of vast natural gas reserves in the United States.
The article takes particular note of Boone’s work with the Pickens Plan

The growing supply created opportunities for policy makers and environmentalists, who saw natural gas as a possible solution to the nation’s energy problems. Some groups suggested burning more gas and less coal for power generation. Others favor its use in vehicles.

Mr. Pickens has spent millions promoting an energy plan that aims to, among other things, convert thousands of big-rig trucks to run on natural gas. Mr. Pickens has large investments in natural gas and stands to benefit if his plan is adopted. In TV ads, Internet videos and speeches, he emphasizes a different goal: reducing U.S. dependence on foreign oil.

The dual message of energy security and environmental responsibility has helped Mr. Pickens win powerful allies, including Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and dozens of elected officials from both parties. A bipartisan bill providing tax incentives for natural-gas cars looks likely to pass this year.

To read the entire article, click HERE.

– The Pickens Team

Anderson Cooper Helps Time Reveal the World’s Most Influential People – TV Guide – 4/28/09

THE BIG QUESTION, April 28: Obama’s First 100 Days – The Hill’s Congress Blog – 4/28/09

Boom and Bust: T. Boone Pickens Has Seen More Success than Failure – Success Magazine – 4/28/09

T. Boone Pickens is Keynote Speaker at Chatham Event – The Monroe News Star – 4/28/09

Alternative Energy: Ending the Oil Cabal – St. Louis Post-Dispatch – 4/29/09

SFR Talk: Energy Spent – Santa Fe Reporter – 4/29/09

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Chairman’s Dangerous Agenda: ‘US May Never Need New Coal or Nuclear Energy Plants’ – Hawaii Reporter – 4/27/09

So T. Boone Pickens’ Crusade Is A PR Campaign After All – Houston Press Blog – 4/28/09

Seattle PR Firms Get Award for Running T. Boone Pickens’ Energy Campaign – Seattle Weekly Blog – 4/28/09

Warping Economic Data For Fun And Profit – 24/7 Wall Street – 4/29/09

Is it Time for Oil Stocks to be Back on Your Radar? – Penny-Trader – 4/28/09

Nissan to bring EV network to Seattle – Grist – 4/28/09

The Hill newspaper - one of the must-read dailies for Members of the U.S. House, Senate, their staffs and Washington insiders - asked about a dozen people for their opinion on the “most important takeaway from President Obama’s first 100 days in office.”

Boone’s response:

In his first 100 days, President Obama moved aggressively to push a stimulus plan that jump-starts our nation’s move to renewable energy, particularly wind and solar. That’s great, and I’m optimistic that he recognizes the need to address the economic and national security threat of foreign oil.

He has promised to end imports from the Middle East within 10 years, and the only way he can do that is to replace foreign oil/diesel in transportation with domestic fuels, and the only way that can be done is by substituting our ever-expanding supplies of cleaner burning natural gas.

For four decades, every U.S. President has promised to make us energy independent, but it hasn’t happened. President Obama knows that, and I’m convinced he’s going to make it a priority, and I’m committed to helping achieve that goal. Someone once told the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is today. That’s how I feel about an energy plan for the U.S., and I’m counting on the president to get something going. Having presided over dozens of overflow town hall meetings on the subject, I know that’s what grassroots America wants, too.

To read all the responses in The Hill newspaper, click HERE

– The Pickens Team

Pound-the-Table Time? – Huffington Post – 4/27/09

T. Boone Pickens to Speak at W&L – Staunton News Leader (VA) – 4/28/09

Pickens Speaks at Missouri Energy Summit – University News – 4/27/09

How T. Boone Pickens and The ‘Pickens Plan’ Could Make You Wealthy By Investing in Green Stocks – Trans World News – 4/27/09

Hey Army,

We wanted to share some photos with you from former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee’s visit with Boone last week.

Team Pickens

Oilman Touts Alternative Energy at Mo. Summit – Associated Press – 4/22/09

Texas Oilman T. Boone Pickens Touts Alternative Energy at Missouri Energy Summit – Associated Press – 4/22/09

Oil Billionaire Supports Alternative Energy – Columbia Missourian – 4/22/09

T. Boone Pickens’ Address Highlights Missouri Energy Summit – Columbia Missourian – 4/22/09

Oil Billionaire Talks Alternative Energy – Columbia Missourian – 4/22/09

T. Boone Pickens Talks Oil Independence at MU – The Columbia Daily Tribune – 4/22/09

Experts Lend Power to Event – The Columbia Daily Tribune – 4/22/09

Oil Tycoon T. Boone Pickens Pushes Green Energy Plan – KRCG – 4/23/09

Summit on Energy – KOMU – 4/22/09

Pickens Brings Energy Ideas to Missouri – KOLR – 4/23/09

T. Boone Pickens speaks at University of Missouri’s Energy Summit – College News – 4/22/09

National Online Chat with T. Boone Pickens Today – Missouri Ag Connection – 4/22/09

Shadegg Signs Pledge for Pickens Plan – Sonoran News – 4/22/09

Myths Fuel the Eco Lobby’s Emissions-Slashing, Green-Jobs Fantasy – Edmonton Journal – 4/23/09

We Need Energy Alternatives, but Don’t Rule out Offshore Drilling – Stockton Record – 4/23/09

Avoid Air Pocket in Drilling – Houma Courier – 4/22/09

The Wise Wind – The Barbados Advocate – 4/22/09

Emission Free: 5 Huge Renewable Energy Projects to Watch For – Red, Green and Blue – 4/23/09

The Coming Takeover Boom: 3 Sectors Ripe For Mergers & Acquisitions – iStockAnalyst – 4/22/09

Earth to Obama – Slate – 4/22/09

SandRidge Energy CEO Tom Ward (center) and Executives from Occidental Petroleum Break Ground on the $800 Million Century Plant in West Texas

You’re an industry veteran, yet from what I gather SandRidge is doing something new when it comes to producing natural gas.
We just broke ground on a new plant in West Texas, and we’re partnering with Occidental Petroleum on this venture. It’s called the Century Plant. It’s a win-win opportunity for SandRidge, for Oxy, and for America’s energy independence.

How’s that?
Roughly 55 percent of the gas that comes out of the ground is actually CO2.

Carbon dioxide.
That’s right. The remaining 45 percent is methane, which is what natural gas companies like SandRidge supply to its customers as fuel for houses.

So SandRidge is not in the CO2 business.
Exactly.

But Oxy is.
Correct. Oil producers such as Oxy use CO2 for enhanced oil recovery in older fields.

So after primary and secondary recoveries have been exhausted, Oxy pumps CO2 into an older well to increase production.
That’s why this new Century Plant stands out. The investment that’s being made by SandRidge and Oxy will not only produce the gas that I’ve just mentioned, but according to Oxy’s press releases I believe they say they’ll be producing 50,000 more barrels a day of oil that would not have been possible if not for the CO2 coming out of this plant. That’s 50,000 barrels a day that will not need to be imported. Plus, over the next two years 500 jobs are added to the local economy as this $800 million plant is built.

That’s what Boone has been talking about. He’s for everything American.
I think Boone has started a movement that is really gathering steam. And that’s what I see happening, even in our operational planning and development. Over time, there will be other CO2 pipelines and projects. The United States has billions of barrels of domestic oil that has been discovered, but that cannot be produced without tertiary recovery using CO2. This will help America become less reliant on imported oil. In addition, as the CO2 is permanently sequestered underground through the tertiary recovery process, it allows companies like SandRidge to access significant natural gas reserves that would otherwise be uneconomical to produce. These natural gas resources can also help alleviate our dependence on foreign oil. And that’s what we focus on.

INTERVIEW CONDUCTED, CONDENSED, AND EDITED BY ERIC O’KEEFE

U.S. Rep. John Shadegg (AZ-03) has signed the Pickens Pledge for Energy Independence.

Rep. Shadegg, whose district includes parts of Phoenix and Scottsdale as well as running north along the I-17 corridor, joins 60 Members of the U.S. Congress and U.S. Senate who have signed the pledge.  In addition to Federal legislators, 15 sitting Governors have signed as well as 317 mayors, members of state houses and state senators.

Pamela Barnes is the AZ-03 District Leader for the Pickens Plan. She and members of the AZ-03 District Group spent a great deal of time and energy helping Congressman Shadegg and his staff understand how the Pickens Plan fit into, and enhanced, his existing vision of helping America become more energy independent.

Mr. Shadegg continues to show leadership in the U.S. House by being a co-sponsor of H.R. 1835 - the NAT GAS Act - which will promote the building, buying and use of vehicles powered by clean, domestic natural gas. This is in addition to Rep. Shadegg’s well-known support for domestically produced alternative energy especially electricity from solar and hydroelectric sources.

–Team Pickens

“Wind is positioned to help take a lot of those manufacturing jobs that have been lost, especially in the auto industry, and move them into the work we’re trying to do.”

Roby Roberts, senior vice president with Vestas, the world’s largest wind turbine maker

T. Boone Pickens: America has the Resources to be Energy Independent – Orlando Sentinel – 4/21/09

Pickens says Gasoline Prices will Spike Again, Pitches Natural Gas (and Drives a Honda Civic GX to Enjoy the HOV Lanes) – USA Today’s Open Road – 4/20/09

Alternative Energy Advocate Brings Plan To Central Florida – Central Florida News 13 – 4/21/09

T. Boone Pickens at Today’s Alt Fuel Conference: “U.S. Energy Policy: Time is Running Out” – Auto Channel – 4/20/09

T. Boone Pickens Headlines UM’s Missouri Energy Summit Later This Week – St. Louis Post-Dispatch – 4/20/09

AWEA Names Award Winners – North American Windpower – 4/21/09

Members Battle the Bulge – Politico – 4/21/09

Econ-Dynamics – CNS News – 4/21/09

Oil: Something I Have to Own Again – Seeking Alpha – 4/21/09

How Buffett Uses the Media – Seeking Alpha – 4/21/09

Oil Slips To $46 On Last Day Of May Contract – The Business Insider – 4/20/09