Oil Ripples in Washington?
Cleantech, Applied
Applied Materials’ Vice President of Government Affairs Gary Fazzino discusses what policy changes Washington should embrace as a result of the BP oil spill, now considered the worst environmentaldisaster in U.S. history.
Below is an excerpt of his latest blog entry for National Journal’s – Energy & Environment Expert Blog.
“If there can only be one lesson gleaned from the oil spilldisaster in the Gulf, it is that our current energy policy, with itsemphasis on fossil fuels over renewables, is in drastic need of reform.For many Americans, especially those who may not remember the ExxonValdez spill of the late ‘80s, this is the first time that thedevastating effects of our dependence on fossil fuels has been displayed in such stark terms. The images that continue to pour out of the Gulfregion are no doubt heartbreaking, but they should also serve as acautionary tale of the environmental degradation that will invariablycontinue if our increasing appetite for oil is not satiated. Withoutconcrete changes, the U.S. will increase its consumption of petroleum by nearly 50 percent over the next few decades. This will further depletedomestic and global energy supplies and continue to put our nationalsecurity and our children’s economic future at risk."
Visit National Journal’s Energy & Environment ExpertBlog’s web site to read Gary’s complete blog post.
