Washington, D.C. – A new study by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) finds that Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley’s oil independence plan would produce the largest savings by the year 2030 of nine proposals issued since 2006. Senator Merkley released his “America Over a Barrel” plan last year and it would reduce oil usage by over 8 million barrels per day, enough to end the need for oil imports from beyond North America.
“When Oregonians roll into the local gas station and see the sky-high gas prices, they know the current course is unsustainable, not only for their pocketbooks, but also as an energy policy for the nation,” Merkley said. “This study tells us there’s no shortage of good ideas to end our addiction to foreign oil. Now is the time for action. Policy makers and citizens alike need to find the political will to stop importing oil and start creating jobs right here in America.”
The analysis by ACEEE looked at ten proposals from legislators, government agencies and non-profits. The Merkley plan came out ahead of all other plans with the exception of a 2004 proposal from the Rocky Mountain Institute. The analysis also found that the Merkley plan will create the most petroleum savings specifically in the transportation sector of any plan studied.
The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to advancing energy efficiency as a means of promoting economic prosperity, energy security, and environmental protection. Their study can be found here: http://aceee.org/files/pdf/Literature%20Review_040711.pdf
The Oil Independence for a Stronger America Act would put into law the plan for American oil independence Senator Merkley laid out in June 2010. It sets the goal of achieving independence from overseas oil in the next 20 years and lays out a specific plan for reaching that goal. By committing America to developing a robust clean energy economy, the legislation would create new jobs while eliminating the national security vulnerability posed by dependence on oil from overseas to run the economy.
Details of the plan can be found here http://go.usa.gov/O53:
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