Take action on energy needs

Re “Oil price reaches a record,” March 4

In some way or form, gasoline prices affect everything. It should be obvious why: Gas is what drives the country (literally and figuratively).

I hear from many sides of the argument regarding who or what is to blame. Some say President Bush, and some say the oil companies. Rather than point fingers, how about doing something about it?

The complainers are numerous, but few take action. Many try to deal with the situation passively, adjusting their lifestyles accordingly, but has passivity ever changed anything noteworthy in history?

I constantly hear about innovative advancements in alternative fuels, but I have yet to see the typical consumer driving a hydrogen-powered car. There has been a lot of talk about the issue, but is the government really doing something about the crisis? Maybe I’m just not looking hard enough, but what I can see are gas prices continuously rising and people greatly affected by the situation.

I despair at what my generation will have to face and pay for because of the ineptitude and inability of the one currently in charge.

Jessica Kim

Chino Hills

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While we continue to hear cries from Congress to increase production of alternative fuels, Americans need immediate relief, and renewable fuels are decades away from meeting the nation’s energy demands. Oil and natural gas will continue to supply most of the nation’s energy for at least the next 30 years.

Sending billions of dollars overseas and increasing our reliance on unstable nations makes no sense. Instead, we must increase open access to natural gas supplies in the mountain states and allow increased exploration in federal waters off the coasts of states that support production, where we are known to have decades of oil and gas supplies.

Our nation is the only one in the world that doesn’t embrace its natural resources, yet we can produce them more safely and efficiently than anyone else.

America needs a balanced approach to face its energy challenge. The energy bill recently signed by the president does not do enough to address our needs.

Congress must create an approach that strengthens American energy resources and decreases our dependency on foreign countries.

Barry Russell

President

Independent Petroleum

Assn. of America

Washington