ICPA Press

" Trouble is, most politicians pandering to special interests of the type seen in Hartford last week kill any discussion of expanding energy production here at home. We need to become more energy efficient and waste less energy. Pity the last legislative session in Hartford saw the enactment of a new energy law encouraging energy conservation but our representatives didn't fund it. The energy conservation tax provisions of the 2005 federal Energy Policy Act expire at the end of December. Lots of talk and fear mongering - no action.”

[Cromwell, CT] Every day we find yet another entity in our society that slams us for just living. One cannot smoke a good cigar, enjoy a glass of wine, drive an SUV, live in a decent home, turn on the lights, eat a nice steak - without incurring the wrath of some social do-gooder ready at the hip with a shot at the behavior killing the planet or killing us. We need a new holiday called "Freedom from Fear Day."

Just before the Thanksgiving holiday Legislators held a hearing involving the state's apparent total lack of preparedness for running out of oil and natural gas. The hearing featured like-minded believers of the notion that the world is about to run out of the basic fossil fuels that underlie the world's economies and that Connecticut is at risk for its failure to prepare for the economic depression, famine, and general calamity that is inevitable. Mind you no mainstream energy experts participated in this "event," only those who believe the world is coming to an end. This isn't the first time this has happened.

There are now 2.2 trillion barrels of conventional oil reserves known in the world, more than 200 years supply. In addition, there are three times the proven reserves in tar sands in the US, 800 billion barrels, as exist in the proven reserves of Saudi Arabia - that's 110 years of total US demand at 20 million barrels a day. If we used it for 1/2 our daily consumption its 220 years. {Rand Corp Report for US DOE].

We forget history..

• 1879 -- US Geological Survey formed in part because of fear of oil shortages.
• 1882 -- Institute of Mining Engineers estimates 95 million barrels of oil remain. With 25 million barrels per year output, "Some day the cheque will come back indorsed no funds, and we are approaching that day very fast," Samuel Wrigley says. (Pratt, p. 124).
• 1906 -- Fears of an oil shortage are confirmed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Representatives of the Detroit Board of Commerce attended hearings in Washington and told a Senate hearing that car manufacturers worried "not so much [about] cost as ... supply."
• 1932 -- Federal Oil Conservation Board estimates 10 billion barrels of oil remain.
• 1944 -- Petroleum Administrator for War estimates 20 billion barrels of oil remain.

Today, the US Geological Survey, created in 1879 out of the fear that the United States was running out of oil, places recoverable world reserves at 2.2 trillion barrels. In the last 27 years world reserves have almost quadrupled.

Still, some want to set up local "Peak Oil" councils in towns and cities around Connecticut to prepare for the coming Armageddon. According to the "Peak Oil Committee," prices have increased exponentially during the last seven years because the world is running out of oil. At the same time, both these folks believe that running out of oil is a good thing, as we not only need to transition to a new energy economy we also need to substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions, largely [according to them] attributed to fossil fuel use, in order to stop the melting of the polar ice caps and the imminent flooding of the planet and killing all life forms.

In 1941 then President Franklin Roosevelt talked about Four Freedoms - one of which is the Freedom from Fear. Freedom from Fear is something we one day may enjoy but not likely as long as a few Legislators are intent on scaring the hell out of us. In addition to the global warming fanatics in your backyard you will also start hearing from the "peak oil" fanatics [same folks, different uniforms].

We need to produce more energy here at home and stop sending more than $1 billion a day overseas. Trouble is, most politicians pandering to special interests of the type seen in Hartford last week kill any discussion of expanding energy production here at home. We need to become more energy efficient and waste less energy. Pity the last legislative session in Hartford saw the enactment of a new energy law encouraging energy conservation but our representatives didn't fund it. The energy conservation tax provisions of the 2005 federal Energy Policy Act expire at the end of December. Lots of talk and fear mongering - no action. Freedom from Fear Day.

	ICPA, 10 Alcap Ridge, Cromwell, Connecticut 06416 Tel 860-613-2041 Toll Free 866-521-ICPA Fax 860-632-1122 website www.icpa.org
Contact: Gene Guilford gene@icpa.org
For Immediate Release November 26, 2007

FREEDOM FROM FEAR DAY " Trouble is, most politicians pandering to special interests of the type seen in Hartford last week kill any discussion of expanding energy production here at home. We need to become more energy efficient and waste less energy. Pity the last legislative session in Hartford saw the enactment of a new energy law encouraging energy conservation but our representatives didn't fund it. The energy conservation tax provisions of the 2005 federal Energy Policy Act expire at the end of December. Lots of talk and fear mongering - no action.” [Cromwell, CT] Every day we find yet another entity in our society that slams us for just living. One cannot smoke a good cigar, enjoy a glass of wine, drive an SUV, live in a decent home, turn on the lights, eat a nice steak - without incurring the wrath of some social do-gooder ready at the hip with a shot at the behavior killing the planet or killing us. We need a new holiday called "Freedom from Fear Day." Just before the Thanksgiving holiday Legislators held a hearing involving the state's apparent total lack of preparedness for running out of oil and natural gas. The hearing featured like-minded believers of the notion that the world is about to run out of the basic fossil fuels that underlie the world's economies and that Connecticut is at risk for its failure to prepare for the economic depression, famine, and general calamity that is inevitable. Mind you no mainstream energy experts participated in this "event," only those who believe the world is coming to an end. This isn't the first time this has happened. There are now 2.2 trillion barrels of conventional oil reserves known in the world, more than 200 years supply. In addition, there are three times the proven reserves in tar sands in the US, 800 billion barrels, as exist in the proven reserves of Saudi Arabia - *that's 110 years of total US demand at 20 million barrels a day. If we used it for 1/2 our daily consumption its 220 years.* {Rand Corp Report for US DOE]. We forget history.. • 1879 -- US Geological Survey formed in part because of fear of oil shortages. • 1882 -- Institute of Mining Engineers estimates 95 million barrels of oil remain. With 25 million barrels per year output, "Some day the cheque will come back indorsed no funds, and we are approaching that day very fast," Samuel Wrigley says. (Pratt, p. 124). • 1906 -- Fears of an oil shortage are confirmed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Representatives of the Detroit Board of Commerce attended hearings in Washington and told a Senate hearing that car manufacturers worried "not so much [about] cost as ... supply." • 1932 -- Federal Oil Conservation Board estimates 10 billion barrels of oil remain. • 1944 -- Petroleum Administrator for War estimates 20 billion barrels of oil remain. • 1980 -- Remaining proven oil reserves put at 648 billion barrels • 1993 -- Remaining proven oil reserves put at 999 billion barrels • 2000 -- Remaining proven oil reserves put at 1016 billion barrels. Today, the US Geological Survey, created in 1879 out of the fear that the United States was running out of oil, places recoverable world reserves at 2.2 trillion barrels. In the last 27 years world reserves have almost quadrupled. Still, some want to set up local "Peak Oil" councils in towns and cities around Connecticut to prepare for the coming Armageddon. According to the "Peak Oil Committee," prices have increased exponentially during the last seven years because the world is running out of oil. At the same time, both these folks believe that running out of oil is a good thing, as we not only need to transition to a new energy economy we also need to substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions, largely [according to them] attributed to fossil fuel use, in order to stop the melting of the polar ice caps and the imminent flooding of the planet and killing all life forms. In 1941 then President Franklin Roosevelt talked about Four Freedoms - one of which is the Freedom from Fear. Freedom from Fear is something we one day may enjoy but not likely as long as a few Legislators are intent on scaring the hell out of us. In addition to the global warming fanatics in your backyard you will also start hearing from the "peak oil" fanatics [same folks, different uniforms]. We need to produce more energy here at home and stop sending more than $1 billion a day overseas. Trouble is, most politicians pandering to special interests of the type seen in Hartford last week kill any discussion of expanding energy production here at home. We need to become more energy efficient and waste less energy. Pity the last legislative session in Hartford saw the enactment of a new energy law encouraging energy conservation but our representatives didn't fund it. The energy conservation tax provisions of the 2005 federal Energy Policy Act expire at the end of December. Lots of talk and fear mongering - no action. Freedom from Fear Day. XXX


ICPA represents more than 500 Connecticut based independent businesses. These businesses employ 13,000 Connecticut citizens and supply the majority of our state's 1,600 motor fuels outlets and 350 heating fuels dealers. ICPA's offices are at 10 Alcap Ridge, Cromwell, CT 06416. For more information about today's Press Release, contact Gene Guilford or Chris Herb.