Lowering Gas Prices & Creating Energy Independence

By Nathan A. Bech

Nathan Bech believes our national security and economic growth depend on making the United States energy independent. To do that we must explore every avenue open to us which shows real promise in leading to a solution. If we can put a man on the moon, we can become energy independent.

Hard-working American families are suffering from high prices at the pump. Nathan Bech supports a suspension of increases in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) to reduce demand for oil. International demand for oil is bolstered by federal purchases for the SPR. There is no reason to fill it when oil is so expensive, when the reserve is adequate in size, and when new purchases push up consumer gas prices.

Nathan will end other policies that contribute to higher transportation and food costs. Ethanol subsidies, tariff barriers and sugar quotas drive up fuel and food prices and hurt Americans.

Nathan supports the highest environmental standards for drilling. He believes we must drill in the United States including ANWR and Off Shore in American waters to increase the supply of oil. He believes we should offer tax incentives and reduce red-tape and fast track new oil refineries in the United States to lower the cost of production. Nathan supports the bipartisan solution of a National Gas Tax Holiday during the summer months suspending the 18.4 cent federal gas tax.

Nathan's plan will reduce the price of gas by a minimum of $1.98 per gallon.

Ethanol Reform

Nathan Bech believes that we must stop burning our food. Corn based ethanol has made marginal impacts on the environment and fuel efficiency, but it has had a negative impact on food prices. As we continue to explore this avenue, we must focus on switch grass and other forms of bio-fuels which will not impact the prices of livestock feed.

Strategic investment in new technologies

From hydrogen fuel cells to fusion technology there are promising innovations that are on the verge of making historic changes in our energy use. Nathan Bech believes we should explore every opportunity. Nathan supports a Billion Dollar tax free bonus prize to the first company to develop a mass produced hydrogen fueld car.

Oil & Natural Gas

Even with our best efforts it is unrealistic to believe oil and natural gas will not be an important part of our energy mix for decades to come. Nathan believes we must allow investments that ensure increased independence in these fields. Building new American refineries and pursuing new sources of oil and natural gas in the United States should be encouraged.

Wind & Solar

Wind and Solar energy provide great promise in not only diversifying, but also decentralizing our energy mix. Nathan Bech believes we should encourage the industry by creating a program that will allow consumers to get advances on tax credits for the purchase of solar and wind technology. Nathan supports the Cape Wind project and believes that the impact of our energy infrastructure should not be reserved for poor and rural communities.

Nuclear

Nuclear energy is a promising technology for maximizing our energy capability. Some of our allies like France use nuclear energy for up to eighty percent of their energy consumption. New investments in nuclear energy can improve safety concerns through the recycling of spent fuel-rods and the rehabilitation and modernization of aging power plants. Investments in Nuclear energy should be focused on achieving fusion which could ultimately meet all our energy needs not only in the United States, but globally.

Conservation

There is nothing we can do more important to our energy and environmental policy than conservation. Nathan supports tax credits for energy efficient improvements. He also believes we must make these improvements available to those who may not have the means to pay up front or the credit to secure a loan. He would support creating a program that will allow consumers to get advances on tax credits for the purchase of energy improvements in their home or business.