Brown calls California a model for energy efficiency; Calls for R&D tax breaks

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Legal Newsline)–California Attorney General Jerry Brown told Legal Newsline he believes America needs an efficiency expert.

In a wide-ranging interview Friday, Brown said the United States must reduce its dependency on foreign oil, which would save billions of dollars through increasing energy efficiencies.


…Alternative energy development has its place, Brown said, but the priority should be efficiency.

“The more humble opportunity is efficiency where you can get more savings,” Brown said. “We need to reduce foreign oil dependency right now.”

As for the cost of these programs, Brown said it’s a matter of re-allocating resources.

“How do we afford to buy the foreign oil?” he asked rhetorically. “The fact is we can’t afford not to. That is why efficiencies are critical.”

He said the federal government has failed to address these problems, choosing instead to ignore them. He added it is time for the country as a whole to start listening more. When asked how much stock he put into Peak Oil theories – a belief that the world has reached the peak of its oil production and will soon face severe shortages – Brown said it’s better to think ahead than remain skeptical.

“(Peak Oil) is certainly is a risk,” Brown said. “If you totally ignore it you’ll be caught with your pants down it will be pretty bad. So you have to pay attention. Oil is going to get harder to get and more expensive. That’s a fact.”

Legal Newsline