Sierra Club Flip-Flop on Desirability of Using Natural Gas Criticized

Crystal Lake’s Loren Burkett offers the following commentary:

“McHenry County College recently hosted an informational meeting on natural gas production and hydraulic fracturing.

“This was presented by the Sierra Club which has a strong history of supporting natural gas for the generation of electricity because of it’s clean burning and lower carbon output.

“It soon became apparent that this informational meeting was actually a propaganda presentation aimed at killing natural gas!

“What happened?

“When did the Sierra Club flip flop and why?

“A little internet research (you can always believe what’s on the internet) and a May 31st, 2012 Wall Street Journal editorial gave some clues.

“Basically the gas industry has been so successful in lowering costs that the “bridge fuel to the 21st century” has become the future.

  • Manufacturing
  • electric power plants
  • long haul truck
  • delivery trucks
  • railroad locomotives and
  • more

are considering converting to natural gas.

Will windmills  be profitable without Federal subsidies?

Will windmills be profitable without Federal subsidies?

“Natural gas may soon render most renewable energy technologies non-competitive.

  • Wind power
  • solar
  • ethanol (a disaster on its own) and
  • others

may be unable to compete even with heavy federal subsidies.

“The free market is making a decision and the Sierra Club does not like it.

“Much of the world is also concerned by our potential energy independence.

“If Congress allows it, we may soon ship liquefied natural gas to Europe.

“Vladimir Putin is afraid that we will break his monopoly grip as a gas supplier to parts of Europe.

“The Middle East nations and all nations dependent on oil exports to the United States are concerned.

“US energy independence would have economic and world political implications we can only dream about.

“It sure would be great in our polarized world if we could go to a credible, accurate and neutral source for information.

“Instead we must always be on guard and look for hidden agendas, selective facts and even manufactured facts.

“Illinois is close to passing laws regulating fracking that will hopefully allow our state to participate in the economic and employment benefits of gas production and do it safely.

“Suddenly the United States of America is holding a winning hand that has tremendous economic advantages and could change the world political landscape.

“Let us do this wisely.”

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See Green Party position here.


Comments

Sierra Club Flip-Flop on Desirability of Using Natural Gas Criticized — 2 Comments

  1. You asked the question if windmills will be profitable without federal subsidies?

    Nope.

    This is only my opinion.

    However, after seven years of budget analysis I can tell this is not going to hold.

    Solar will be profitable as technology improves.

    Wind will not.

  2. I would think the Sierra Club is concerned with the process used to obtain the natural gas, hydraulic fracking which injects hazardous chemicals into the ground.

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