Energy & Environment

America's energy policy must lay the foundation for future economic growth and power us into a new era of prosperity.  Americans deserve a thoughtful energy plan that will supply its robust energy demands and consider the environmental concerns of energy consumption. 

Traditional energy sources such as oil, gas and coal can have detrimental consequences to society by polluting the environment, endangering public health and contributing to climate change.  Additionally, these sources are becoming increasingly scarce producing adverse effects on the American economy.  Moving forward, the business community must develop these traditional energies responsibly while investing in cleaner, low cost, domestically-produced alternatives.    

President Obama has pursued an all-of-the-above energy strategy, which I support and is outlined in his Blueprint for a Secure Energy Future.  This strategy responsibly uses the nation’s natural resources like oil and gas, reduces dependence on foreign oil, and continues the development of advanced alternative fuels.

In the past several years the U.S. has made tremendous progress toward expanding our energy production to cleaner, more sustainable sources that will help our nation prosper in the future.  Under the Obama Administration, domestic oil production is at an eight-year high and domestic natural gas production is at an all-time high.  This increased production has been coupled with a 10 percent decrease in net imports of oil in 2011.

North Carolina's First Congressional District stands ready to lead the expansion of these new energy technologies and reap the benefits of the jobs and income that clean energy projects will create.  Combining the world class research of our state universities, ingenuity from Research Triangle Park, and the ample space and workforce of eastern North Carolina, we have the tools to spearhead the development of wind, solar and nuclear energy production.

We cannot afford to stop our progress toward an America powered by clean energy and preserve our nation’s environment for future generations.  If we are to lead the world into a new energy future, Congress must support these new industries and assist in the emergence of clean energy technologies.  I am resolute in doing my part as a Representative and am a proponent of the creation of clean energy sources that will preserve our environment, lower future energy costs, and will provide jobs for the people of eastern North Carolina.