It seems the American oil landscape might finally be turning the page for the better, all thanks to a certain former president’s predictive powers. According to the news, there are ships lined up around the country, from Texas to Alaska, loaded with oil and ready to make a return trip across the oceans. President Trump has predicted that once the ongoing conflicts abroad settle, Americans could look forward to gas prices as low as they’ve ever been. While this crystal ball gazing is delightful for those weary of emptying their wallets at the pump, reality right now paints a more sobering picture with prices creeping higher.
And if you happen to be in California, things are looking particularly grim. Gas prices there have surged past $6 a gallon due to the state’s regulations. It’s a state practically sitting on a goldmine of oil – or perhaps more aptly, an “oil-mine.” Yet, for reasons that may have as much to do with political posturing as with environmental concerns, drilling has been limited for nearly two decades. Imagine having all that potential wealth beneath you and deciding to give it a little pat on the backburner. California’s policies against fossil fuels, combined with high taxes at the pump, placed them at the front of the line in terms of paying way more than should be necessary for a tank of gas.
The discussion with the current EPA Administrator Lee Zeldon brought up an intriguing point about America’s energy future. The country has been making swift movements to increase its energy dominance—a big promise for a brighter energy-independent tomorrow. For nations like Japan, this could mean relying more on the U.S. instead of the tumultuous Middle East for their oil supply. It seems the potential for America to swoop in and save the day for these countries is more apparent than ever. Secretary Burham and his energy pals from the Indo-Pacific were quite the prominent soundboard for these ideas of energy diversification.
If only those in past administrations had seen things quite as clearly, we might have been singing the Keystone Pipeline’s praises instead of mourning its demise. The Keystone XL delay fiasco is often dubbed a political tug-of-war disguised as environmental concern. It’s a pattern frequent in prior administrations, where red tape, political overtones, and regulatory handcuffs have slowed significant energy projects and left America behind in the oil game. It’s rather fun to think about where the country could be today if the brakes hadn’t been pumped on these projects.
Administrator Lee Zeldon certainly has his hands full juggling the balancing act of environmental stewardship and energy expansion. His rapid deregulation approach has sparked an energy boom and kept power plants from closing their doors. Quite the contrast to New York—his old stomping grounds—where he lost in the gubernatorial race just four years ago. The state seems to be driving the wealthy and middle class out with high taxes and policies that may not serve their best interests. While states like Tennessee grin and endure the influx, the question remains: why build something up only to tear it down with poor decisions? America could use Zeldon’s energy foresight not just to pump oil, but perhaps, some common sense into states that keep stumbling over their governance.
