The State of American Energy
Article from February 2020
Somehow, at this very moment of progress, some have made it their cause to stop American energy development. At the extreme, we hear promises on the 2020 campaign trail to ban fracking, nationwide and forever. Here’ s a glimpse at that vision: Millions of jobs lost … a spike in household energy costs … a manufacturing downturn … less energy security. In the short run, a fracking ban in America would quickly invite a global recession. You don’ t abolish the most dynamic asset of the world’ s leading energy supplier without severe consequences.
It’ s no mystery why foreign leaders, hostile to American interests, don’ t like America’ s energy progress and the advantage it has given our country. Other countries now have the choice of reliable energy supplies from the U. S. – thanks in part to sound policy and the American innovation of fracking.
Banning a safe, successful method of developing energy is just part of an extreme agenda opposed to natural gas and oil production anywhere, by whatever means. Nobody wants unhindered development and drilling on all federal areas – that’ s an extreme view that exists only as a tired caricature of our industry.
So, in this campaign year, in bids to capture fleeting political momentum, we’ ll hear pledges to ban all development on federal lands, onshore and offshore.
I don’ t for one moment believe there is a majority in either party for that position. But I don’ t believe in taking things for granted
‘ We support legislation to encourage wider use of carbon-capture, utilization, and storage technology...’
either, so together we all must strongly oppose these proposals. Whether the issue is offshore leases, fracking, or energy infrastructure, the false choices will prevail by default unless we answer directly with evidence, sharing our stories and those from communities across the country to drive the conversation. The American people make their own choices. And we should remember, after all, that there’ s another word for choice when it comes to energy: It’ s called demand.
The nation with the largest, most innovative economy in the world runs on affordable, reliable energy, the majority of which comes from natural gas and oil. Our mission as an industry starts with meeting that rising demand and doing it responsibly. 14 RETIREMENT / JUNE 2026 | FUEL OIL NEWS | www. fueloilnews. com