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BY KEITH BENMAN
kbenman@nwitimes.com
219.933.3326 | Wednesday, October 08, 2008 | (1 comment(s))
HAMMOND -- U.S. Sen. Dick Lugar called Tuesday for the next U.S. president to be "relentless" in pursuing national energy security by developing wind power, cellulosic ethanol and other renewable energy sources.
"The heart of our geostrategic problem is reliance on imported oil in a market that is dominated by volatile and hostile governments," Lugar told an overflow crowd of more than 400 people at Purdue University Calumet's conference center.
Lugar did not mention off-shore drilling during his talk, instead focusing on the role the next president should play in promoting renewable, homegrown energy.
"He must be willing to have his administration judged according to its success or failure on this issue," Lugar said.
Asked afterward which candidate, Republican John McCain or Democrat Barack Obama, could best deliver such "game-changing" policies, the six-term Republican senator said both have made statements that are promising. He said much will depend on how the next president works with leaders in Congress.
"So you have a president that has a four-point program. Will it resonate or will it fall flat?" he asked rhetorically.
Lugar made his comments just six hours before the two presidential candidates were scheduled to square off in Nashville, Tenn., in the second of three televised presidential debates.
Lugar spoke as one of the sponsors of Purdue University Calumet's Lugar-Visclosky Energy Forum and Expo. U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky was just as insistent as Lugar that developing renewable energy is America's pathway to energy security.
He touted the $25 billion in loan guarantees recently approved by Congress for U.S. auto makers to pursue alternative vehicle technology. He said government must continue to provide incentives if the United States is to overcome its energy crisis.
Visclosky issued an endorsement of the proposed South Shore commuter rail extension as an energy-efficient means of reducing reliance on foreign oil.
At the expo after the forum, Northwest Geothermal Inc. owner George Kontol appeared to share Visclosky's and Lugar's concerns.
"If we don't have an impact now and do something, we are all in trouble," Kontol said.
He was showing a flock of onlookers a Skystream 3.7 residential wind turbine capable of producing 1.9 kilowatts, enough to provide anywhere from 40 percent to 100 percent of a home's electricity needs.
"We have sustainable energy -- the wind -- and it's free," he said.
Oil facts
U.S. crude oil production: 5.06 million barrels per day
U.S. crude oil imports: 10.03 million barrels per day
U.S. crude oil imports from OPEC: 5.98 million barrels per day
Top U.S. crude oil supplier: Canada - 1.89 million barrels per day
Top U.S. producing company: BP - 586,000 barrels per day
Source: U.S. Energy Information Agency
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Brian Bultema wrote on Oct 8, 2008 9:37 AM: