Schweitzer Electrifies Convention with Energy Speech

This post is from Sierra Club Deputy Press Secretary Josh Dorner, who is also in Denver for the Democratic National Convention.

While most of the excitement last night was focused on Senator Clinton's speech, Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer gave an electrifying (and highly animated) speech outlining a strong, clear vision for a new energy future. Given his strong performance, it came as no surprise that Schweitzer was mobbed by bloggers and camera crews this morning as he strode through the Big Tent. Here's some excerpts from his speech: On the crises we face:

Right now, the United States imports about 70 percent of its oil from overseas. At the same time, billions of dollars that we spend on all that foreign oil seems to end up in the bank accounts of those around the world who are openly hostile to American values and our way of life. This costly reliance on fossil fuels threatens America and the world in other ways, too. CO2 emissions are increasing global temperatures, sea levels are rising and storms are getting worse.

On an "all of the above" approach:

It’s not a question of either wind or clean coal, solar or hydrogen, oil or geothermal. We need them all to create a strong American energy system, a system built on American innovation.

On drilling:

We simply can’t drill our way to energy independence, even if you drilled in all of John McCain’s backyards, including the ones he can’t even remember. That single-answer proposition is a dry well, and here’s why. America consumes 25 percent of the world’s oil, but has less than 3 percent of the reserves. You don’t need a $2 calculator to figure that one out. There just isn’t enough oil in America, on land or offshore, to meet America’s full energy needs.

On the solution:

Invest $150 billion over the next 10 years in clean, renewable energy technology. This will create up to 5 million new, green jobs and fuel long-term growth and prosperity.

Watch it:

Full text of the speech is here.

Comments

[Pierre- Louis Lemercier]

Schweitzer' speech is very good because USA needs urgently to change.

Although, he should have say "We need to break America’s addiction to energy" instead of "to foreign oil".

I am very surprised that no one (as far as I know) mentions the need of decreasing the energy consumption because the actual US level is not sustainable ! Nobody wants to change its life, its little comfort for the sake of future generation ?

This is bad for the world. Hopefully EU will show us a more sustainable way for the future.

Regards

PL Lemercier Renewable Energy Centre Port Elizabeth South Africa

[Wolfgang Tiedtke]

Clean Coal? What's next: radiation-free nuclear? Why are people so mindless? There is no clean coal and never will be - only cleaner coal.

[Carrie Gardner]

I think before change happens the American people need to understand what they need to get passionate about. We need a clear, simple message to pass on. What message do we need to get across to lawmakers? What is the first step toward finding a more sustainable energy source?

[Charles Moore]

Where does the $150 billion price and 5million jobs come from? Who gave the estimate? Let see the report?

I keep hearing the Sierra crowd talking about American creativity but it all comes with a dependance on the government. Government stiffles creativity, efficiency, innovation.

But Congress, via Pelosi and the Committee on Natural Resources says American can almost double total US oil production on just Federal lands with an additional 4.8 million barrels a day. Natural gas can be increased 75%. It is all in the Democrat majority paper June 2008 "The Truth about America's Energy", page 2 para 4.

But report is a crock because the estimation was completely bogus with one CNR staffer applying present production to non-producing leases with nothing more than the number of non-producing and acerage