When I travel around the state, I often hear about one issue that hits every Kansan's pocketbook - the cost of energy. Most of us have to drive to go to work, school, church, and to shop for groceries. We use energy to heat our homes during cold Kansas winters and to cool us off during the long hot summer. We calculate our budgets and prioritize expenses to factor in these expenses.
Energy is a commodity upon which homeowners and businesses rely. As a commodity, energy prices fluctuate. While the U.S. is in the midst of an energy renaissance and prices are currently at historically low levels, there is no guarantee this will remain the case forever.
In order to stabilize energy prices at affordable levels, we need to find new energy resources at home to increase our supply and continue to fight the wave of regulations that were saddled on producers by the Obama administration. With this in mind, I support the exploration and production of our oil and natural gas resources in both Alaska and the lower 48 states, greater development of our vast offshore energy supplies, and expanded access to crude from Canadian oil sands through the construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline.
In addition to finding new sources of fossil fuels, we need to look to renewable resources to help meet our future energy needs. Kansas is home to 14 operating ethanol plants with many more in development. Currently ranked 9th in the nation, Kansas produces 500 million gallons of ethanol per year. Additionally, as most Kansans know, the Great Plains and prairies provide a plentiful amount of wind. Several utility companies have come to realize this and have invested in wind energy in Kansas. As these examples show, Kansas plays a vital role in the renewable energy industry in this regard.
I will continue to support policies that reduce our nation's dependence upon foreign sources of energy. As our nation grows, so too must our vision for supplying our energy needs.
