Energy and Environment Policy Studies and Research | Leadership for America

Energy and Environment

Advance freedom and prosperity by unleashing free enterprise, protecting America's energy interests, and advancing free global energy markets. Learn More... Statement of Purpose Demand is increasing faster than supplies while much of the world’s oil is delivered in a restrictive market dominated by unstable or hostile nations. Meanwhile, many Americans harbor misunderstandings and myths about energy, the environment, and market forces. They want low prices and plentiful supply, but resist steps that must be taken to achieve these goals. They want to protect the environment but most plans have huge costs and questionable benefits. This confusion leads Congress to enact conflicting policies that harm the nation’s ability to meet its energy needs. Sound policies must enable America to obtain supplies from a wide range of sources in a way that is best for the economy and also addresses homeland and national security considerations.

U.S. energy policy should be based on the creativity of free enterprise. Congress and the Administration should rely on the private sector’s research and development capabilities to deliver traditional supplies and viable new energy sources rather than mandates, regulations, subsidies, and directed research. All sources of domestic energy should be made available and artificial constraints on infrastructure, including costly environmental regulations, removed. Such steps will unshackle delivery of supplies and allow key sources like nuclear energy to achieve their potential. Efforts to reduce dependence on foreign oil or carbon altogether must be grounded in policies that are best for the economy by limiting or removing regulatory and tax barriers that impede private-sector innovation. Internationally, U.S. policy should advance free energy markets by sustaining access to the global marketplace using all instruments of national power. Policies should thwart the capacity of coercive regimes to employ energy supplies as an economic weapon. Americans understand that freedom, opportunity and quality of life suffer when abundant, affordable energy supplies are threatened, not just at home, but worldwide.

Discounting and Climate Change Economics: Estimating the Cost of Cap and Trade

November 19, 2009

Even using the EPA results shows that the cost of cap-and-trade legislation would be $2,872 per year in 2050. Those are some very expensive postage stamps.

By David W. Kreutzer, Ph.D.

The "Kyoto II" Climate Change Treaty: Implications for American Sovereignty

November 17, 2009

The Copenhagen conference's proposed "Kyoto II" successor agreement poses a clear threat to American sovereignty.

By Steven Groves

What Americans Need to Know About the Copenhagen Global Warming Conference

November 17, 2009

In December, the 15th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change will meet in Copenhagen to work on a successor treaty to the Kyoto Protocol. U.S. negotiators should refuse to sign any climate change treaty that does not include meaningful participation by China, India, and other major developing nations or that would harm the U.S. economy or threaten U.S. sovereignty.

By Ben Lieberman

Boxer-Kerry Cap-and-Trade Bill's Nuclear Provision Won't Fuel a Nuclear Revival

November 3, 2009

America needs a clean, safe, and sustainable energy source. Nuclear power could be part of the solution -- with the right set of free-market reforms. Congress, the nuclear industry, and many Americans agree that reform of U.S. nuclear policies is necessary, but cannot agree on what those reforms should look like. The nuclear provision in the Senate's new Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act is a nice nod to nuclear power, but leaves the waters muddied.

By Jack Spencer and Nicolas D. Loris

Senate's Byrd-Hagel Resolution Should Guide Global Warming Discussion in Copenhagen

November 3, 2009

The Administration should follow the Byrd-Hagel Resolution in Copenhagen and steer clear of any agreement that violates its provisions.

By Ben Lieberman

More Research...

Proposed Global-Warming Bills and Regulations Will Hurt, Not Help

November 16, 2009

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is moving forward aggressively to regulate fossil fuels in the name of fighting global warming. Recent agency proposals would start with emissions standards for cars and trucks, but these would likely lead to subsequent regulations affecting a million or more businesses and other energy-using entities.

By Ben Lieberman

Questionnaire May Shed Long-Overdue Light on Cap-and-Trade Legislation

October 23, 2009

Reps. Henry Waxman and Ed Markey did a little digging last week. It was the kind of thoughtful investigative work our lawmakers should do more often.

By David Kreutzer

Congress' Light Bulb Law: Not So Bright

October 20, 2009

Thank goodness I'm not imagining it. Others also have big problems with the new-fangled light bulbs Congress is forcing on us.

By Ernest Istook

The Business of Global Warming

October 14, 2009

Soon, fast-talking Senators will take up the Kerry-Boxer bill to supposedly limit global warming. Meanwhile, corporate America is doing a global warming kabuki dance.

By Dan Holler

Drill, Comrade Drill?

September 2, 2009

If we won't drill into the vast energy reserves just off our shores, others will.

By Ben Lieberman

Pumping to perdition

August 31, 2009

Labor Day signals the end of summer-vacation season. Will this summer also turn out to be the last cheap one for gasoline? The Obama administration and Congress certainly seem intent on making it so.

By Ben Lieberman

More Research...

Cap and Trade Hits Manufacturing, Farming and Small Business

11/20/2009

Sometimes the best offense is a good defense and sometimes the best action is inaction. With unemployment surpassing 10 percent (go here to watch unemployment grow), Midwestern Congressmen want to ensure that Congress will protect three key areas of their respective state’s economy: agriculture, manufacturing and small business. One sure way to protect these jobs Read More...

More Green Crony Capitalism

11/19/2009

Green energy investments are coming from every direction. Whether it is the stimulus package or the cap and trade bills proposed in Congress, the government is eager to invest taxpayer dollars in renewable energy technology. As Americans become desensitized to the copious amounts of money the government is spending, clean energy investments are growing from Read More...

Pine Beetles Not a Good Reason for Climate Change Legislation

11/19/2009

Last week Senator Max Baucus joined several mainstream environmentalists in adding pine beetle outbreaks to a long list of things that can be blamed on climate change. As Baucus said in a Congress Quarterly report, Running on the trails by my home in Helena, seeing the red forests destroyed by pine beetles or seeing sustained drought Read More...

Carbon Offsets Ease Guilt, Not Emissions

11/18/2009

The New York Times reports today: In 2002 Responsible Travel became one of the first travel companies to offer customers the option of buying so-called carbon offsets to counter the planet-warming emissions generated by their airline flights. But last month Responsible Travel canceled the program, saying that while it might help travelers feel virtuous, it was not Read More...

Global Warming Ate My Homework: 100 Things Blamed on Global Warming

11/17/2009

Late for a party? Miss a meeting? Forget to pay your rent? Blame climate change; everyone else is doing it. From an increase in severe acne to all societal collapses since the beginning of time, just about everything gone wrong in the world today can be attributed to climate change. Here’s a list of 100 Read More...