This week, Jack Gerard, President and CEO of the American Petroleum Institute (API) delivered his State of American Energy speech outlining the choice that America faces: we can either move forward developing our tremendous resources, creating jobs, rapidly moving towards energy security, and becoming a world energy leader, or we can choose the path of energy scarcity, dependence and economic uncertainty.
As he explained, our energy boom has already transformed our outlook from one of scarcity to abundance but we can only continue on this path if we make the right choices.
Of course, much of this choice rests in whether or not America moves forward with the Keystone XL pipeline. As Gerard pointed out,
“And speaking of Keystone, and with due respect to the administration, I’d like to point out that the now five-plus year evaluation process of the Keystone XL pipeline has lasted longer than America’s involvement in the second World War; longer than it took our nation to put a man in space and almost as much time as it took to build the transcontinental railroad 155 years ago.
In other words, far too long for a project that will create jobs, grow the economy and ultimately expand America’s ability to take full advantage of our nation’s bright energy future.
It is a good example of why policy matters and how dogmatic adherence to political ideology can trump economic reality to the detriment of millions of hard-working middle class families.
The fact is, with a single word, yes, the president could allow this vital infrastructure project – paid for by the private sector and without a dime of taxpayer money – to move forward and provide thousands of good paying jobs for many years to come.”
Americans have already overwhelmingly said yes to Keystone XL for the tens of thousands of jobs, energy security and economic growth it would bring – now it’s time for President Obama to do the same.
