Oh no – Got to Stop Cheaper and Cheaper Natural Gas!

 Russ Steele

In support of Obama natural gas bashing, the KQED Climate Watch folks fall into line with this report:

A new report warns against the folly of over-investing in natural gas

Craig Miller/KQED

As the nation’s power plants age, a new report warns against relying too much on natural gas.

The nation’s power plants are aging. An increasing number require replacement parts; others can’t keep up with new environmental regulations.

A report released today [PDF] by the Boston-based think tank Ceres estimates that in the next two decades, up to $100 billion will be invested in the electric utility industry every year – twice the amount invested in recent years.

According to the report, that boom in investment will take place in a shifting regulatory environment. Air pollution and greenhouse gas restrictions will increase, and fossil fuel-burning power plants will have to keep up. Governments are setting requirements for energy from renewable sources. 

Yes, they are!  Obama and his environmental wacko minions are assuring that you will never benefit from falling natural gas prices, due to “fracking” technology. They will assure that you pay through the nose for your power from inefficient alternative power resource. Oh, yes those resource will required standby on line power plants. Most likely powered by natural gas.

EPA Moves Up War on Natural Gas

Russ Steele

I have written about is before HERE. the greenies, including President Obama, want the price of natural gas to go up, up and up so their crazy alternative energy schemes can be at least marginally competitive in the energy market. As the supply of natural gas expands, the price keeps dropping, so the price will soon only be the cost of transportation.  Pricy alternative energy will be unable to compete with almost free gas, so the government prodded by environmentalist are seeking ways to drive up the price of gas. More regulations seen to be the answer. This afternoon Obama-EPA launched the second round attempt to drive the the price of natural gas.

Here is a press release from Senator James Inhofe (R-Okla.) Office.

Washington, D.C. – This afternoon, the Obama-EPA issued its first federal air rules for natural gas wells that are hydraulically fractured.  Senator James Inhofe (R-Okla.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, said that contrary to President Obama’s reelection rhetoric, these new regulations are the latest in his administration’s war on natural gas production.

“The Obama EPA has been working aggressively to assert control over natural gas production so that they can regulate it out of existence – and this rule is just the latest in that grand scheme,” Senator Inhofe said.  “It’s no secret that EPA has been trying hard to manufacture a correlation between groundwater contamination and hydraulic fracturing, but in each case, they were unable to find sound scientific evidence to make this link.  So now, they’re attempting to usurp control through air regulations. EPA has given us few details about the rule, and while I look forward to seeing it in full, I have serious concerns about its potential impacts, particularly on smaller producers.

“If anyone thinks this isn’t the latest aspect of the President’s war on natural gas production, remember Big Green, including the Sierra Club, joined together today to give President Obama their most enthusiastic endorsement, calling him a ‘champion’ for their cause.  Everyone knows that these groups are no friend to natural gas: as Sierra Club DirectorMichael Brune said, ‘It’s time to stop thinking of natural gas as a “kinder, gentler” energy source.’  They must know that if President Obama wins reelection, he’ll have the ‘flexibility’ to do just that.” 

Emphasis was in the original.