NATURAL GAS AND TRANSPORTATION
A bill intended to enhance the use of NatGas as a transportation fuel is planned to be introduced in Congress this week. The idea is to reward automobile and truck manufactures for increased production of NatGas vehicles. The technology is known and accepted. There are now in existence several fleets of NatGas service vehicles, including the city of Los Angeles.
Last year we expended on foreign crude oil about 350 billion dollars. This year that unnecessary expense will exceed 405 billion dollars. Those dollars that we expense become capital in foreign hands, capital that ends up owning America, funding terrorists, and devaluing the dollar. As a nation we import over half of our crude oil needs, about 25% of our crude consumption is used for over-the-road trucking. That industry would quickly switch to NatGas if the fuel were available on the interstate highway system. NatGas runs cleaner, and will have a significant leveling effect on the cost of gasoline for use in automobiles. All local fleets in the United States should be mandated to operate with NatGas.
The over-the-road truckers have resisted using NatGas because of availability, this can be resolved with a tax credit mandate, something Conservatives in Congress know how to use.
There are serious unresolved questions about NatGas. It is a polluting energy source. Supplies are not unlimited and future production will, undoubtedly be more expensive and the effect of fracking on ground water has not been resolved, questions that must be addressed.
Ultimately, as a Nation we need to find the resolve to build a carbon-free world. As a transitional fuel NatGas can help us on the way to cleaner energy sources. It is a great idea to encourage NatGas vehicle production, making NatGas available to the consumer must be addressed in concert with that effort.
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