Beyond drilling

A camel is a horse designed by a committee, as the old saying goes. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, signed into law yesterday in Denver by President Obama, is a camel of legislative drafting, the result of balancing various competing interests in an attempt to achieve the President's goals in a form that could be forced through Congress.

But for all its resulting weaknesses and lack of focus, the bill should be praised for its bold tackling of the nation's future energy needs. The bill includes funding of $40.7 billion on energy conservation measures and development of alternative forms of energy, and another $16.3 billion for development of energy-saving rail and rapid transit infrastructure.

These appropriations not only will attack the nation's economic crisis, but will also take a first step in addressing a energy crisis looming on the near horizon. This month's edition of National Geographic is devoted to the world's energy problems. Present forecasts suggest that between now and the end of the century, world production of conventional petroleum will shrink from about 80 million barrels per day to approximately 45 million. In the same period, demand will explode from 80 million to 125 million barrels per day.

This ever increasing gap between supply and demand, if not remedied, not only will lead to a decreased standard of living for Americans, but also to skyrocketing pollution and to worldwide turmoil and explosive hatred of the developed nations. The tacit attitude expressed at present by the United States and other wealthy powers -- that Third World nations must curtail their own development because our own achievement of properity has already increased CO₂ levels to the crisis point -- while true, does not sit well with the workers of China and India at the very moment when they can afford their first automobile.

President Obama pointedly selected the pioneering CEO of a local solar energy company to introduce him to the audience in Denver. The President observed that we have a history in this country of ignoring problems until they become crises. He urges us to tackle the energy problem before it reaches that point. We have almost reached that point already, and the urgency is fully justified.