Huntsman unveils energy policy
Durham, New Hampshire (CNN) - Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman called for eliminating regulations on domestic energy production, funding research into new technologies and diversifying American energy sources in a policy speech Tuesday.
He spoke to a group of about 200 University of New Hampshire students and nearby residents. The remarks came after Huntsman toured the university's cogeneration plant, which converts landfill gas into energy to power campus buildings.
Huntsman, who often tells audiences that as governor he drove a car powered by natural gas, called for breaking oil's "monopoly" as a transportation fuel.
He said the United States needed to invest in "pure" research into alternate sources of energy and building a smart grid, adding states could be the incubators of new energy technologies.
Huntsman said as president he would clear the way for the "continued safe use" of hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking," a method of extracting fossil fuels which has been criticized for its environmental impact, as well as encourage more domestic oil drilling.
"Yes, there is a balancing act between utilizing our resources and maintaining the integrity of our oceans and forests," he said. "But there is no reason drilling cannot be safely conducted in the Gulf, across the states, and in Alaska."
He said the government's regulations on domestic coal production could cause blackouts this summer.
Huntsman tied America's dependence on foreign oil to its economic difficulties.
"Energy drives everything we do," he said. "How can we stabilize our economy when its most fundamental building block is controlled by despots and dictators half a world away?"
An aide said the former governor was still scribbling notes on his speech as he was driven to the university.
After his remarks, an audience member asked Huntsman about whether he would expand the production of nuclear energy.
"If you care about emissions, and I do, then you have to factor nuclear into the overall mix," he said.
Previously Huntsman has unveiled a jobs plan and a foreign policy plan in New Hampshire.
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This guy is far to reasonable to get any traction in the GOP primary. Too bad the GOP has decended into the GOTP, an anti-science, anti-intellectual, anti-logic sespool of stupidity. If you are a reasonable thinking person and still in the GOP, you are a slow mover. May the last intellegent person leaving the party please remember to turn out the lights – they are not needed in a "dark ages" mantality.
He is a nice guy, but not that slick, he's combined Obama's policies with all the rest of the usual GOP fracking/off shore Alaska drilling policies, nothing new here.
If you deregulate then say "Good-bye" to the rest of the plan, and to the environment. Cheap (and politically connected) will win, people and ecosystems will die, and in twenty years (or whenever the fossil fuels run out) the rest of the world will be selling clean energy technologies to us, the late great United States of America.
He's too smart. Should be a democrat. The republicans are afraid of him because he's reasonable.
As Cain and Perry self-destruct and most Republican primary voters remain undecided, Jon definitely has a shot to be the last standing conservative, anti-Romney alternative candidate. I hope all these political pundits and naysayers wringing their hands over his perceived failure are privately supporting the effort to make it happen !
Right now "safe fracking" is an oxymoron. Mr. Hunts Man appears to be protecting the interests of his family's chemical fortune. At least he mentioned green energy, though, which is more than you'll hear from most of the GOBP deathcult.
clean energy loans, lobbied for by hug a tree, kill the economy environmentalists, have open the door to these charlatans who are filing for bankruptcy almost daily now. Instead of loans to these charlatans- tax breaks should have been given to the fossil fuel industry (coal and oil) so that they will vigorously pursue developing the technologies to neutralize any adverse effect this source of energy might have on the environment. We put men on the moon- we can make fossil fuel environmentally friendly. This is the most efficient and economic source of energy. We must exploit it to its fullest potential.
Huntsman tied America's dependence on foreign oil to its economic difficulties.
So getting the majority of this foreign oil from Canada is causing all the economic woes ! Why do Republicans always use the fear factor and lie about where the oil comes from ? 80% of the imported oil that comes into the US is from the western hemisphere, not from dictators, just socialist countries that share with the US
It's unfortunate that he's not dumb or crazy enough to get the republican nomination.