We can all agree that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has shocked the conscience of the world.
As veterans and as state legislators, however, we are disturbed by fellow state lawmakers attempting to take advantage of Vladimir Putin’s military incursion — with the support of oil and gas industry lobbyists — to push for unabated oil and gas exploration, pipeline expansion, and an increased reliance on petrochemicals.
While we condemn Russia’s military actions and call for its withdrawal from Ukraine, the path to reducing Putin’s ability to destabilize nations — the way to undercut his funding for the war — is to end our reliance on the fossil fuels he is in fact so dependent on.
The highest levels of the U.S. military have acknowledged for years that climate effects are driving instability, food shortages, drought, mass migration, border issues, and refugees. Add war on Ukraine to the list. This is a war where every second sentence written or spoken ends up talking about Russian oil. But instead of laying out a plan that could take us toward stability and independence, instead of arguing for American-made renewable energy, the majority party in Harrisburg is promoting ideas that will prolong the world’s overreliance on fossil fuels and with it, the leverage Putin and the oligarchs have on the U.S. and Europe.
Increasing U.S. oil and gas production will extend Putin’s power in the long run. If Europe continues to rely on fossil fuels for energy instead of, for example, renewables and nuclear, it will remain at Russia’s mercy in the future.
Here’s why: oil and gas are global commodities. An increase in drilling in the U.S. will not diminish Putin’s market power. The only way to export gas to Europe is to convert it to Liquefied Natural Gas, or LNG, and then convert it back to gas once it’s in the country. Processing and shipping LNG from the U.S. to Europe will always be more expensive than piping it in from Russia. So, when the current crisis subsides, the markets will move back to the cheaper source: Russia. To quote one expert: “If you’re going to double down on gas, essentially, you’re doubling down on Russia.” In short, our allies would still be harnessed to Russian oil. That’s bad security policy now; worse if we double down.
In any event, the U.S. cannot produce more oil and gas quickly enough to have any short-term impact on prices. Even if they wanted to, gas companies couldn’t move quickly enough to solve the problem. It’s more likely to increase prices (and profits) here in the U.S. And be careful to note this little trick: none of these recent proposals to expand U.S. drilling require that the resource be sold only in the domestic market, be offered at a lower price to compensate the public who own these reserves, or that companies fix the environmental damage they do in the course of extraction. This idea to expand drilling in the U.S. is about maximizing private profits at public expense. It’s not about “reducing our reliance on foreign oil.”
On the other hand, clean energy like wind, solar, and nuclear produced here is not dependent on international market forces and is much less vulnerable than oil and gas to price shocks.
Isn’t it time we finally turn the tables so that our energy supplies and prices are no longer manipulated by dictators and oligarchs, and we fuel our cars and power our homes, businesses, and farms with clean and reliable energy from solar, wind, and other renewable sources that we control right here at home?
Isn’t it time we ensure the energy workers who made Pennsylvania a leader in the energy economy for more than a century continue to lead our economy in the years ahead with jobs and prosperity from a stable, growing, renewable, clean energy industry?
Yes, it’s time. And it’s time we defend our country wisely. The sooner we get started, the more prosperous, independent, and secure we will be.
State Rep. Nancy Guenst, D-152, is an U.S. Army veteran who served in Germany. Her district includes Upper Moreland, Hatboro, Lower Moreland and Bryn Athyn, as well as parts of Upper Dublin and Northeast Philadelphia. State Rep. Joseph G. Webster, D-150, is a retired U.S. Air Force Colonel. His Montgomery County district includes Collegeville, Lower Providence and Skippack as well as parts of Upper Providence and West Norriton.
This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Guest Opinion: How upping domestic oil production helps Vladimir Putin
