Smart investments in energy

Documenting wells leads to cleanup
September 27, 2011
Grand Reveil Acadien!
September 29, 2011
Documenting wells leads to cleanup
September 27, 2011
Grand Reveil Acadien!
September 29, 2011

The recent reports about the potential waste of hundreds of millions of taxpayers’ dollars by solar energy firm Solyndra have caused us all to question the Obama administration’s thinking when it comes to our nation’s energy policy. Numerous media reports have suggested that the administration was reckless with taxpayer subsidies for this renewable energy project.

Developing a common-sense energy policy that creates good American jobs, reduces the federal deficit and keeps prices low at the pump is something Washington should be able to agree on.


I’ve always supported an “all-of-the-above” energy policy that creates good jobs and keeps energy prices low for Americans, but these projects have to be viable, they have to make sense. We can’t afford any more crony capitalism where the federal government picks winners and losers and then leaves taxpayers on the hook when everything falls apart.


The news reports on Solyndra suggest that in 2009 the White House may have pressured Office of Management and Budget reviewers to approve a loan for Solyndra, which is now bankrupt, before the OMB had time to conduct a thorough assessment of the company’s financial viability.

Our tax dollars can no longer be wasted or abused on ventures like this. That’s why this week I introduced the Federal Accountability of Renewable Energy (FARE) Act, which would require federal agencies to give a full accounting of all taxpayer funds given to renewable energy projects. If the project is viable, that’s great, but let’s open the books, do an honest economic analysis and see how many jobs it creates. Most important, let’s see if the tax dollars are being spent wisely.

Now more than ever, as the Gulf stands to lose even more rigs, we need to adopt common-sense energy policy and support our energy industry workforce. Louisiana has proven that a healthy energy economy creates jobs and provides much needed revenue to the federal treasury.

So while we work toward alternative sources of energy and determine which of those can compete on their own in the marketplace, let’s not forget the proven success of our more traditional forms of energy like oil and gas.

Please contact me with your ideas at my Washington office by mail at U.S. Sen. David Vitter, U.S. Senate, 516 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C., 20510, or by phone at (202) 224-4623. You can also reach me on the web at http://vitter.senate.gov.