Shimkus calls for energy action

May 13, 2008 11:50 am

— Staff Report
COLLINSVILLE — In news conferences across his district Monday, Congress-man John Shimkus (R, Illinois-19) called for long-delayed action to increase our nation's domestic energy supply in order to bring down skyrocketing prices.
"It is past the time to take action," Shimkus said. "There are concrete solutions available. We need to develop our own oil supplies in places like Alaska and off our coastlines that are currently off-limits. We must continue to advance our technology in ethanol, biofuels, wind, and solar power. And even more importantly for the economy of Illinois, we need to use available technology to convert our vast supplies of coal to liquid fuels.
"No single source is going to be a magic bullet, but by diversifying our efforts we can go a long way toward energy self-sufficiency."
Shimkus noted that there are an estimated 11-16 billions barrels of crude in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). Off the East Coast of the United States in the Outer Continental Shelf, there are approximately 2.31 billion barrels of oil and 28.05 trillion cubic feet of gas.
The eastern Gulf of Mexico has about 3.58 billion barrels of oil and 12.31 trillion cubic feet of gas; while off the West Coast is about 10.71 billion barrels of oil and 18.95 trillion cubic feet of gas.
The Congressman also pointed out the progress being made by America's ethanol producers. According to an analysis done by Argonne National Laboratory, in the last five years our nation's ethanol production has reduced water use approximately 27%, electricity use nearly 16%, and total energy almost 22%.
Shimkus stressed the economic advantages of using Illinois coal.
"As I have said many times, there is more available energy from the coal deposits in Illinois than there is from oil in the sands of Saudi Arabia. And think of the large number of construction and mining-related jobs we can create," Shimkus added. "To not use this great resource we have been blessed with is absurd."