The Enid News and Eagle, Enid, OK

Opinion

Discussion

May 21, 2007

With gas prices over $3, new strategies are welcome

U.S. Rep. Frank Lucas has come up with some interesting ideas concerning alternative energy and rural America.

He has introduced a bill — his eight-point Rural America Energy Bill — that seeks to expand the use of energy sources that can be utilized in rural areas, such as wind energy and cellulosic ethanol. It also would help farmers participate in energy development, through small wind tax credits and dedicated funding for renewable energy projects.

With gas prices over $3 a gallon you won’t find many people who say we shouldn’t do something.

Will Lucas’ proposals, if they are approved, save all of our energy woes? No, but they would be a great part of an overall strategy to get a handle on our energy needs and concerns.

Ethanol is a word we hear a lot. Lucas, who represents Oklahoma’s largely rural 3rd Congressional District, wants to see efforts made to push ethanol, especially cellulosic ethanol, a type of ethanol made from non-food plants, such as switchgrass and wheat straw.

Most ethanol now produced comes from corn. Corn, though, has some disadvantages with respect to production in Oklahoma. Corn takes water, lots of water to grow. Switchgrass can grow in dry environments and already grows naturally in parts of Oklahoma.

Lucas also is pushing for more wind energy. Anyone who has spent any time at all in western Oklahoma knows we have plenty of wind. And, wind is not something we are going to run out of, and it’s non-polluting.

We definitely support Lucas’ legislation and any efforts to reduce our dependence on imported oil.

As we said, Lucas’ ideas won’t solve all of our concerns, but they would be a great part of an overall energy strategy.

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