An Expert Look at the Energy ”Crisis”

An accomplished scientist shares his perspective on America’s supposed energy crisis and what can be done to remedy the situation.

THE NEW AMERICAN: Skyrocketing fuel prices have forced energy once again to the forefront of public concerns. What are several of the most important measures that can be implemented to most immediately address our present energy needs?

Dr. Arthur Robinson: Well, our principal energy problem is the same as with virtually all American economic problems: taxation, regulation, and litigation. In the case of the immediate rise in energy prices

The bottom line is that all the capital that should have gone into new oil refineries went into regulation compliance, a large amount of which has had nothing to do with sound science or the putative goal of solving environmental problems.

Then there is taxation. Oil company capital that would and should be going into exploration, extraction, and refining is instead being consumed by government taxes.

Then, of course, litigation is a major problem because no matter how much a company spends on compliance, regulatory bureaucrats and/or environmental activists can be depended on not to be satisfied and to launch another costly delaying lawsuit.

It gets down, simply, to the fact that political decisions are suppressing technology and restricting our access to energy resources.

The New American