While oil magnate and BP chairman T Boone Pickens touted the role oil, gas and coal would play in the future should the Romney-Ryan ticket enjoy success, the Sierra Club called for a “bold, innovative plan for [America’s] energy future that acknowledges reality” and that Romney’s plan “rehashes the reckless Big Oil and Big Coal priorities … pushed for months”
The plan would end many public health safeguards, the group said, while “shredding the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts” and throw open public lands and offshore areas to drilling and mining.
By doing so, according to the group, thousands with clean energy jobs would have their positions killed.
“Mitt Romney has devised an energy insecurity plan that would make us even more dependent upon oil, coal, and gas companies while ignoring climate disruption, economic growth, and the health and well-being of the American people,” Sierra Club executive director Michael Brune said.
“Does anyone really think that the winning economy of the 21st century can be built on 19th century fossil fuel technology? Romney's plan is an anchor to the past.”
The Sierra Club’s position, Brune said, was an America where energy does not cost lives and where no-one must choose between a good job and good health.
“We need a plan that produces energy domestically, puts people to work, and makes us truly energy independent – but one that also stabilizes our climate, and keeps our air and water clean,” he said, adding energy solutions existed and were working now that would not keep the nation “chained to fossil fuels”
In fact, Brune said, greenhouse gas emissions were at their lowest level in two decades.
“We're using less oil, and new fuel standards will double efficiency and slash carbon pollution,” he said, referencing in the latter the US Environmental Protection Agency’s efforts to reduce emissions from coal-fired power facilities.
Instead, Brune said, US power by wind has doubled and solar has grown five-fold – which the Sierra Club felt was the right direction.
“This is where we need to go as a nation,” he said.
“We can't afford to turn back.”
