Last night I attended the Lancaster Chamber’s 137th Annual Dinner. The keynote speaker at this event was T. Boone Pickens, Founder and Chairman of BP Capital Management. The event was held at the new Lancaster County Convention Center. What a beautiful venue to hold such an event.
Pickens message to the thousands who attended the event was how America’s addiction to imported oil is a threat to our economy, our environment, and the national security of America. He stated that an astounding 70% of America’s oil is imported – half of that oil comes from countries that either do not like us or despise us. He states that for more than 40 years, every president has promised to make the United States energy independent; however, during those 40 years we went from importing 24% of our oil to importing close to 70%.
One of the solutions Pickens advocates is the use of natural gas. One of the biggest natural gas reserves is located in Pennsylvania – the Marcellus shale natural gas reserves. Using the gas from this reserve would not only help the economy of Pennsylvania, but would provide a beginning to the end of the unhealthy dependence we have on foreign countries for oil. He believes that America’s car, light duty and heavy truck fleets could be shifted from imported gas to America’s own natural gas. This would be one step in aiding America to reach a goal of zero imports from the Middle East within ten years. In addition to natural gas, Pickens also recommends the use of wind power, water marketing and ranch development initiatives. You can find more facts on this vitally important issue at his Pickens Plan website.
Mr. Pickens genuinely believes that America can get out of this “quagmire” it finds itself in if we act quickly and reasonably. He outlines the details of what this country must do to win back its energy independence in his new book, The First Billion is the Hardest.
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