Senator Addresses Summit on Energy and Climate in Jackson

JACKSON — U.S. Sen. John Barrasso today spoke at the summit on energy and climate sponsored by the University of Wyoming ’s School of Energy Resources and other institutes.

The text of Senator Barrasso’s speech follows:

“Thank you all – it’s been great to join you yesterday evening and today. Wyoming has extraordinary resources, and one of course is the University of Wyoming . The faculty, the students, the researchers are a testament to the University’s efforts to bring together the best our state has to offer. For all of you who worked on and are participating in this summit, many thanks. 

I have only been a United States Senator for a little over 100 days. It has been a whirlwind. It has taken me to 31 town meetings, over 130 floor votes, and has involved every issue under the sun and below the ground – from energy research and development to tourism and recreation. From job growth to health care to housing. 

It took me to the University of Wyoming to lead a discussion with students on the book “Beyond Oil.” It’s a book that was sent to every incoming student. And you would be proud of the high quality of the students at the University of Wyoming.

I have worked hard to not skip a beat and to live up to the high ideals and expectations of Wyoming people who still mourn the loss of our friend Craig Thomas . Like Craig Thomas , I continue to work in Washington and live in Wyoming .

Let’s get to the matters of energy, climate, and balance before us today. 

For Wyoming, a State with extraordinary natural beauty and extraordinary energy resources, I am Wyoming ‘s voice on the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. I also serve on the Environment and Public Works Committee, which is the home of two subcommittees with specific oversight of climate change issues.

The title of this speech – “The Energy Picture from a Washington Perspective.”  That should make everyone’s eyes roll – because Washington is pathetically behind and lagging on a coherent energy picture. You have heard that from every speaker.

And states, private industry and public institutes are forced to work around the irresponsible absence of action on a federal energy policy as well as federal energy research and development.

The Governor is right.  I want to join him in calling for serious, focused research and development into energy innovation.  

The Bush administration has fallen behind on research. I’ll go beyond that and say we need to take immediate action on ideas like tax credits for clean coal technologies and dollars for gasification technology.

The Governor called for a new commitment akin to our nation’s successful effort to put a man on the moon. Heck, I’ll settle for a financial commitment on par with what we spend every four years to put a man – or woman – in the White House.

But seriously, where ever you find yourself on the issue of climate change and energy development, we can agree on one important dynamic – the market.  Change not only awaits us – it is banging on the door.

Consumers are demanding more and more "green" energy.  More people know now that a carbon footprint isn’t a kind of new running shoe. Reducing carbon is a mantra – a fact in the marketplace which must be recognized.

And Wyoming – as an economy that is based on carbon extraction – must be highly conscious of this market dynamic. Because consumer direction leads to public policy — public policy and regulatory actions – either taxing carbon or capping carbons — all of these will affect Wyoming perhaps more than any one policy issue on the horizon.

This debate cannot be ignored or rejected – Wyoming must be at the forefront, leading it. 

If you look at the presidential candidates – they are all talking about carbon as a top issue. There will a climate bill coming.

The bottom line is our country’s energy portfolio is headed for change, and that means jobs in Wyoming will change with it. The writing is on the wall regardless of where you stand on the issue of climate change.

I had an old medical professor, Dr. Milt Davis. He said “you never want to be diagnosed with mural dyslexia.” I asked him what he meant. He said “mural dyslexia is the inability to read the handwriting on the wall.”

You can harbor doubts about the science, but the political and market realities are under no such illusion – the writing is on the wall.

From my point of view we, in Wyoming, can be a part of that discussion, play a significant part in blending solutions, or be forced to accept the changes that others will attempt to put upon us.

In our absence our resources, our people, our jobs will lose out. I am not willing to accept that. In Wyoming we lead. If not by example, then by success.

I believe Wyoming represents a mix of energy solutions that can be a part of our country’s energy future for many, many years to come. With less impacts.

We must adapt, make changes, and be ready to put our money where our best hopes are. We must take the debate seriously so that a coal producing state like Wyoming remains a strong energy player, or our coal will be left as a stranded asset by policy shifts and consumer demand.

There is a new vocabulary that Wyoming must direct:  carbon capture, carbon sequestration, gasification, liquefaction and allocation. Innovations in each of these issue areas are vital for Wyoming ‘s future.

Cliff Hansen, our former Senator and Governor, through his willingness to engage in a debate about federal minerals royalties allowed this state to enjoy 50 percent of those royalties.

The energy debate of our generation is carbon. Period. You can agree or disagree with Global Warming theories, but no one can wish the issue away. And the public policy debate about carbon has dramatic effects on Wyoming ‘s future – our state, our communities, our jobs, our families. Period.

It is research and innovation and smart thinking that will keep Wyoming ‘s economy from being sequestered with coal as a stranded asset. We know that. We all know what is required…what we need to do is act for the good of Wyoming.

I applaud the University, the Wyoming Legislature, our private industry and the Governor for joining us in finding solutions. The inaction of Washington is unacceptable. What is the bottom line? The delay and uncertainty of policy will make the consequences of not acting even more severe when you finally do act.

What do we, as Wyoming ’s policy makers, need to do? We have to join as a team to block and tackle, be proactive and strategize if Wyoming is to have a strong future in our carbon-based resources in a 10, 20, 50-year future.

What actions can we do now to make the glide path more manageable for us? To make a future stronger? As a US Senator, I can do something. Investment tax credits for clean coal technology in any energy legislation. Period. We can do that now.

Equally immediate is to be a constructive partner as Congress goes forward in sending price signals for carbon. The overall effort for each of us is to be engaged in the process — not an impediment.

In a clean coal market, gasification as outlined by our friends with GE is the future. With our abundance of coal, Wyoming should be a leader in coal gasification.

Wyoming did not get to be a state with 50 percent of the mineral royalties coming to us by not getting engaged in the process. We are where we are today because previous senators rolled up their sleeves and they made themselves relevant to the debate. Wyoming is relevant in clean air issues, and mine land reclamation because we actively engaged in the debate.

If we aren’t engaged in policy that involves the deployment in clean coal technology, then Wyoming runs the risk of being irrelevant in that debate. The Governor talked earlier about innovation and significant investment in new technologies. I agree absolutely. 

I would add to that a realization among decision makers that these changes will not and cannot happen during one year, 2 years, or even an election cycle.

We need to accept that innovations come over time, but in the mean time, you cannot simply shut off our current traditional energy sources. I can assure you, one of the biggest threats to addressing effectively the concerns of climate change would be to significantly impede current domestic production today in anticipation of new technologies in the future. 

Innovate, prepare for changes, but retain our ability to make the power we need today and to be less dependent on foreign sources. I want to repeat the most important point of where the climate change debate will lead us. You can harbor doubts about the science, but the political and market realities are under no such illusion.

We in Wyoming will be at the center of that discussion – I am committed to that.

Our people, our jobs depend on that leadership that all of us will provide collaboratively and aggressively. Bottom line?  In Wyoming we lead. If not by example, then by success.

Teddy Roosevelt came to Wyoming 103 years ago. He spoke at the University of Wyoming . 10,000 people showed up. We’ll have more folks than that at homecoming this weekend, but that was a huge crowd for over 100 years ago. He said “People of Wyoming, I believe in you and in your future.” He was right to believe in us then, and we are right to believe in ourselves for the next 100 years.

Ronald Reagan came to Cheyenne 25 years ago. He was campaigning for Malcolm Wallop, our former US Senator and ranking member of the Senate Energy Committee. President Reagan said the thing he loved about the Rocky Mountain west was “people here still believe the future is ours to shape.”

I, like everyone else in this room, believe the future of Wyoming is still ours to shape. Thank you for joining actively in that fight for Wyoming ‘s best future.”