[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 10]
[Senate]
[Pages 14726-14728]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                IDAHOANS SPEAK OUT ON HIGH ENERGY PRICES

  Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, in mid-June, I asked Idahoans to share with 
me how high energy prices are affecting their lives, and they responded 
by the hundreds. The stories, numbering over 1,000, are heartbreaking 
and touching. To respect their efforts, I am submitting every e-mail 
sent to me through [email protected] .gov to the Congressional 
Record. This is not an issue that will be easily resolved, but it is 
one that deserves immediate and serious attention, and Idahoans deserve 
to be heard. Their stories not only detail their struggles to meet 
everyday expenses, but also have suggestions and recommendations as to 
what Congress can do now to tackle this problem and find solutions that 
last beyond today. I ask unanimous consent to have today's letters 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

       Dear Senator Crapo: I work for Micron Technology in Boise 
     Idaho as an Engineer. I love my job, but it is getting harder 
     to pay my mortgage, food, gas and cost of living expenses. My 
     wife used to work for Micron, but she got laid off last 
     summer and has not found a new job. My job as an Engineer 
     covered our expenses, and my wife's job was the extra money 
     we used to go camping, out to dinner, and have fun with. 
     Right now, we are barely getting by. All we do is sit home 
     and complain about the politicians in Washington that are not 
     doing anything to create jobs, lower gas prices and promote a 
     stable economy.
       I have given up on Washington. I am voting for a third 
     party all the way from now on because the Republicans and 
     Democrats can't play well together.
           Sincerely,
     Tom, Kuna.
                                  ____

       Good afternoon Senator Crapo: First of all I want to thank 
     you for the great job you do as my U.S. Senator.
       I am an avid outdoorsman and like to backpack, hunt, fish, 
     camp and enjoy all that Idaho has to offer. I am also a 
     Scoutmaster with the Boy Scouts of America. In that capacity, 
     it is necessary to have a big truck to haul gear and Scouts 
     around. One of the Laws of Scouting is that a Scout is 
     thrifty and, as such, we (I) make every effort to camp 
     smartly to keep costs down for the parents so as to make 
     scouting more affordable and enjoyable. We also believe in 
     ``Leave No Trace Camping,'' and try very hard to be good 
     stewards of the environment. Up until recently, most of the 
     Scoutmasters, including myself, have donated their trucks, 
     fuel and maintenance costs as part of our monthly campouts. 
     Unfortunately, fuel costs over the last few years have now 
     taken a real toll on us, and we have had to pass many or most 
     of those costs onto the parents. Additionally, my family 
     enjoys camping, and the costs of fuel are definitely 
     negatively impacting our families ability to get out an enjoy 
     nature as much as we used to. Furthermore, as a Scouter, 
     outdoorsman, businessman and family man, I am very concerned 
     about the environment and want to preserve it for my kids, 
     grandchildren and others. Therefore, a very careful look into 
     preserving nature is important to me.
       For years I have seen the United States being wasteful 
     users of gasoline and other natural resources and sought to 
     do my part to recycle and conserve energy. I have tried in 
     earnest to reduce water waste and electric waste by turning 
     water off as well as lights to reduce use and costs. Last 
     month, I began to carpool with a neighbor on a daily basis to 
     work to cut down on my personal consumption. I am trying to 
     do my part in the effort; however, our country (my country) 
     has been very shortsighted and unwilling to do a number of 
     key things to lessen our dependence on foreign oil and gas.
       For one, there has been a group within the United States 
     that has successfully put a stranglehold on our ability to 
     develop and extract petroleum products from known oil 
     reserves. They would be best described as ultra radical tree 
     huggers. That is as nice as I can put it. Again, I am an avid 
     lover of nature, but our unwillingness to use those reserves 
     has given OPEC and other oil producers around the world a 
     wonderful opportunity to hold us hostage and run the prices 
     up and watch us squirm. In my opinion some of our citizens 
     and their elected officials have failed to protect our 
     independence in the world market, by allowing ourself to 
     become so dependent on foreign oil.
       As a respected Senator, I implore you to take this message 
     to the Senate floor and loudly state that enough is enough. 
     Remove the obstacles that prohibit the extraction of oil on 
     our soil and within the territorial waters of the United 
     States and get the control of oil back in our hands. 
     Furthermore, with as much scientific talent that exist in our 
     own country, we need to develop cleaner and more efficient 
     vehicles while at the same time finding alternative engines 
     powered by solar, nuclear, hydrogen or other alternative 
     fuels to get our country back within our own control and not 
     other governments or private companies. I enjoy having a big 
     truck for all the activities I like to do, and there must be 
     a safe, efficient, cost-effective power plant that can run a 
     truck as well as a car, and we are long overdue on finding 
     that alternative. Furthermore, the costs in fuel have really 
     driven food costs as well as other household products costs 
     way out of control.
       I am fed up with the ultra extreme protectionist attitude 
     in this country that has put us in this predicament. I do 
     want responsible, well thought-out procedures to safeguard 
     the environment while at the same time (for the short term) 
     use our own oil while we think of new ways to make driving 
     more cost-efficient, safe and with less pollution to the 
     environment. I seriously think we are more than up to the 
     task and believe that we can safely do both.
           Sincerely,
     Jeff, Boise.
                                  ____

       With the price of gas going up, it just does not affect us 
     with how much we drive; it affects groceries and price of 
     common goods

[[Page 14727]]

     like carpet. Up till just this last month, we haven't had to 
     make any drastic changes to our spending habits, but because 
     of the price of everything, we are going to have to. A 
     vacation we were going to take will have to wait, carpet that 
     we were going to purchase will have to be put on hold, etc.
       What makes matters worse is to find out that China is 
     drilling in the Gulf Coast, right off our shore. Why aren't 
     we drilling there, why aren't we becoming energy independent? 
     If the Senate and the House can't get it right, which is not 
     more taxation I might add, we need to get people in office 
     that will. I thank you that you did not go along with the 
     last bill and hope that you continue to fight for good 
     legislation.
     Donald, Post Falls.
                                  ____

       Dear Senator Crapo: Thank you so much for the opportunity 
     to offer my views on our energy crisis. I'm 48 years old and 
     grew up on a farm. In fact I can remember buying bulk fuel 
     for 25 cents per gallon. Most of my growing up time gasoline 
     cost between 35 and 50 cents. This is the first time in my 
     life I have ever made decisions based on the cost of fuel! My 
     family spends about $250 per month on fuel and that is a 
     burden but that is not the major problem. Fuel used in 
     industry and transportation has affected the cost of every 
     area of our lives. I know that India and China get the blame 
     for increased demand but I do not believe that is the only 
     factor. ``Green'' is most definitely a factor and I cannot 
     believe the ``science'' behind this movement. Seems they 
     assume that if I do not buy their dogma hook, line, and 
     sinker that I am dooming my children to hell. Please do the 
     correct thing vs the ``political thing'' concerning green. 
     Next, I would wonder about the sense of using our corn crop 
     to make ethanol rather than to feed people. This may be the 
     biggest reason for my increased cost of food. Lastly, America 
     needs to stand for the right, not the popular. I feel that 
     the USA is acting rudderless because we have forgotten what 
     we are. Please read the Constitution and lets get back to 
     where the Founding Fathers wanted us to be. One Nation Under 
     God . . . not one nation under Gore.
           Thank you,
     Matt.
                                  ____

       I had heard from a friend of a friend one time that the INL 
     outside of Idaho Falls produces enough energy to easily run a 
     few cities. And that this energy is simply being pumped into 
     the ground and completely wasted. Because the government 
     cannot legally enter into the competitive energy market, I 
     suppose.
       As INL is a secure site and having never been there, I am 
     not positive this information is accurate. But knowing how 
     our government usually works, I would not doubt that it is 
     all true and to the point.
       If there is truly energy that can be used at the INL, let's 
     use it. Credit back the INL funds to produce further 
     employment and benefit everyone all around.
     Robert.
                                  ____

       I ride my bike. Gas prices for that are $0, pollution is 
     minimal, impact to the roads minimal, and most of all, it is 
     great for my health.
     Mike, Boise.
                                  ____

       Dear Senator Crapo: I now ride a bicycle to deal with the 
     high cost of gasoline. You may be surprised to know that 
     bicycles are about 97% efficient in converting energy to 
     motion. Of course, there are times of the year when this is 
     not practical (like during the winter), so I would make the 
     following recommendation.
       We need more fuel-efficient motor vehicles, and one way to 
     do that would be to pass legislation limiting the maximum 
     weight of new motor vehicles. The automotive industry could 
     make significant improvements in motor vehicle fuel 
     efficiency if they would all move to lower mass designs. For 
     this, they need a level playing field that also resets safety 
     standards to consider a lower maximum vehicle weight. To 
     achieve a lower vehicle weight, industry would have to employ 
     new or alternative materials. It is not just about the 
     engines.
     Paul.
                                  ____

       Three of us work for Scentsy Candles in Meridian, which is 
     26 miles one way. We drive two cars; I get off at 3 pm, and 
     the others get off at 5:30 pm. One car spends 42.00 a week, 
     and the other car spends 48.25 a week. You do the math. When 
     does it stop . . .
     Douglas, Christine and Colleen, Emmett.
                                  ____

       The energy prices are outrageous. The only people that it 
     is not affecting are the rich and famous. We are in the 
     process of building a new home . . . and did you know that 
     Idaho does not have any kind of programs that will help a 
     homebuilder with solar panels or windmills. If you are so 
     worried about energy, why not bring some programs that will 
     help people with these kinds of things. In looking at the 
     costs of these things, there is not one program out there 
     that will help the individuals who are barely making it. We 
     would love to go solar and wind, but on top of all the other 
     high costs, there's no way we can afford it. Too bad you 
     aren't as worried as you say you are, or we in Idaho would 
     already have these kinds of programs in effect. All we do is 
     save and help the lazy people who would rather take and take 
     from the government. There are no programs to help the ones 
     that really need it and wouldn't use the system, over and 
     over again.
       Just think--if we could afford the extra 10-30k for solar 
     panels and all that is needed to make solar energy, we could 
     be selling power back to Avista. But the rich and famous 
     politicians do not have to worry about their energy bills.
       Eight years ago, I made a statement of ``when Bush is done 
     with this country, no one will be able to afford gas.'' Well, 
     it is almost that time. I sure hit that one right on the 
     money. We need to get our troops out of Iraq, also. If we had 
     all the money that was being spent on a war we can't win 
     (what are we suppose to win anyway?) The government could 
     have already given every citizen in the United States a 
     million dollars to spend any way they wanted to and still 
     have money left. But we have to be killing people and letting 
     our soldiers die, too. When they get injured, we do not do 
     anything for them. How sad is our country, anyway. We 
     shouldn't be fighting with anyone.
     Denise.
                                  ____

       I have a small sales company that sells new construction 
     hardware for the residential market. This territory is for 
     Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. The amount of new construction 
     is way off from two years ago and, coupled with gasoline 
     costing over $4 a gallon, it becomes almost impossible to 
     service the accounts profitably.
       What do we do to counteract the negative forces? We drive 
     4-cylinder cars that get good mileage, drive less, make more 
     phone calls and hope for improvement in the construction 
     sector.
       What do we believe would help the current squeeze by high 
     gasoline prices? Encourage more development of the Bakken Oil 
     Formation which stretches across North Dakota, Montana, and 
     part of Saskatchewan. This oil field has 3.65 billion barrels 
     of light sweet crude according to the USGS and that is not 
     counting reserves. What to do with it? Threaten the oil 
     companies with the possibility of taking away the extra tax 
     credits afforded them unless they expedite refinery capacity 
     (Does not matter how much crude without the refining 
     capacity), and give a very concerted effort to begin major 
     extraction from this large pool of oil. This oil field makes 
     a lot more sense than drilling in ANWR when considering the 
     location and amount of crude available. Nuclear? You bet. 
     With today's technology, it makes extreme sense to use 
     nuclear power. The biggest problem of course is waste 
     disposal. How many billions of taxpayer dollars have been 
     spent on Yucca Mountain? Tell the state of Nevada that the 
     facility is the property of the U.S. government and that it 
     will use it according to the best interests of the U.S. 
     citizens.
       Does Joe Citizen think that we have a big problem with 
     energy right now? You bet. Would the above ideas help? I 
     think so. Can it be done? If the U.S. could put a man on the 
     moon almost 40 years ago and that was not under emergency 
     conditions, why not? A lot of people need to sit down in 
     Washington, DC and say ``Hey we have a real problem here, 
     let's fix it.'' If NASA can put a man on the moon why can't 
     the whole U.S. fix the energy problem?
           Regards,
     Gary, Nampa.
                                  ____

       Honorable Mike Crapo: Our youth group used to spend our 
     summers enjoying the absolutely fabulous Idaho backcountry. 
     We used to hike, fish, swim in all the scenic Idaho lakes and 
     rivers. Congress has spent a lot of effort to make sure that 
     these pristine areas are set aside for future generations to 
     enjoy. I applaud their efforts to maintain a balance between 
     energy exploration and the ability to witness the beauties of 
     nature. However, due to the continuing increases in fuel 
     costs, those days of exploring these backcountry wonders is 
     quickly becoming only a shadow. Our youth group is no longer 
     able to afford these backcountry trips due to the fuel 
     expense. With a continued increase in gas cost, it will be a 
     wonder if soon anyone will be able to make the excursion.
       I would fully support the limited and non-intrusive 
     exploration and exploitation of the vast oil, gas and coal 
     resources our country has been blessed with to maintain the 
     life style that past generations have enjoyed. Open ANWR and 
     our coastlines to these proven reserves. I believe we have 
     the technology to safely capture all the fossil fuel reserves 
     that are within our ability to acquire. It is much better for 
     a good steward like the USA to retrieve these resources in a 
     safer way rather than other countries such as China and India 
     that have been notorious for abandoning sound pollution 
     principles. Nuclear power has a proven track record of safe 
     power production and I would implore the Senate to do 
     everything in their power to open the door to the next 
     generation of even safer nuclear power production and finally 
     opening up the single repository for our spent fuel at Yucca 
     Mountain. Our society will be much better off and our future 
     generations will then be able to continue to witness marvels 
     of nature as we blend environmental and sane land use 
     policies.

[[Page 14728]]

       I consider myself a conservationist and have always ridden 
     my bike to work, but removing the wonders of nature from my 
     life due to gas cost is more than I can bear.
     James, Boise.

                          ____________________