Amy Klobuchar is preaching the gospel of setting renewable energy standards. Unfortunately, I’ve seen no evidence that Sen. Klobuchar has put a high priority on expanding the use of existing energy supplies:

I will fight to expand incentives for investment in homegrown, renewable energy sources and technology. Here in Minnesota, we have the ability to produce a wide variety of homegrown energy, including ethanol, biodiesel, wind, solar and biomass. We need to adopt renewable fuel content standards including ethanol, biodiesel, biomass, 10% by 2010 and 20% by 2020. We also need renewable standards for electricity so that 20% of our electricity comes from sources like wind and solar energy by 2020.

I will fight to improve our nation’s energy efficiency and emission standards so we can reduce our dependence on foreign oil and move forward with greater use of renewable energy alternatives. We need to raise the fleet-wide fuel economy standards for cars and light trucks to at least 33 mpg by 2010.

On her campaign website, Sen. Klobuchar didn’t say anything about existing energy with the exception of her willingness to go after the Halliburtons of the world. Unfortunately, Sen. Klobuchar is too wedded to the environmental/anti-industrial complex to consider options like drilling on the OCS or voting for building nuclear power plants.

Former Shell CEO John Hofmeister thinks that’s a mistake:

In his presentation abstract Hofmeister notes “Green energy is helpful but inadequate to the demands of the future.” His keynote address will not only cover supply issues, but also the impact on economic competitiveness of an aging infrastructure, as well as the importance of investing in the traditional energy base.

Nuclear power doesn’t create greenhouse gases. Most importantly, it’s abundant, inexpensive and we aren’t subjected to a volatile foreign market for it. Why isn’t Sen. Klobuchar pushing that?

Drilling on the OCS is a low-risk, high-reward thing. Still, Sen. Klobuchar hasn’t lifted a finger to open up drilling on the OCS. Why isn’t that a priority with Sen. Klobuchar? Isn’t making natural gas prices a priority with Sen. Klobuchar? It’s important to remember that many of the wells that get drilled on the OCS harvest natural gas, which is the cleanest-burning fossil fuel. If saving the planet is a priority with Sen. Klobuchar, then natural gas and nuclear power should be right at the top of her energy priority list.

I suspect that the reason they aren’t at the top of her priority list is because she’s too reliant on campaign contributions from environmentalists. Now that’s a shocker.

It’s time that Minnesotans, especially farmers and commuters, asked Sen. Klobuchar whether she represents the environmentalists or if she’ll represent Minnesotans for a change.

Technorati: Energy, Environment, Environmentalists, Drilling, Nuclear Power, Natural Gas, Fossil Fuels, OCS, Elections, Amy Klobuchar, Special Interests