Boston and the surrounding area were the scene of the most memorable moments in the early years of the American Revolution. The city was a crucible for the rising American spirit of independence, from which the revolution against overbearing British taxes and colonial oppression was born. Ultimately, after years of struggle, America achieved independence.
Now, America has also achieved energy independence, but few in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and the entire New England region would recognize it, especially considering that in 2018 a tanker carrying Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) docked in Boston Harbor, providing desperately needed fuel to power and heat homes during a winter cold snap.
This development seemed strange to many, especially since the United States is the world’s leading producer of natural gas. The Appalachian Region, just several hours drive southwest, is home to such abundant natural gas reserves that if it were a country, it would be the world’s third largest producer of the fuel.
How did it come to this? How is it that a city nicknamed “the birthplace of the American Revolution” needed Russian fuel to meet its winter power needs? How is it that as countries in Eastern Europe are desperate to reduce their reliance on Russian gas and the geopolitical muscle that often comes with it, the U.S. was importing it?
The answer is simple: Plans to build the critical energy infrastructure necessary to benefit from our Nation’s abundant natural resources have been routinely blocked or delayed, at least in some parts of the country, by radical environmentalists, activist judges, and opportunistic politicians. Decisions to stop or slow down new energy infrastructure, like portions of the Access Northeast Pipeline project, are cheered as a win for the environment and for energy consumers.
But blocking these projects is a win for neither the environment nor consumers.
The Trump Administration, as part of a true American energy policy, supports expanding natural gas pipeline development in a safe and responsible way to provide consumers choice, affordability, and reliability. Doing so will also create more jobs and contribute to meeting emissions reduction and environmental goals.
First, increasing domestic natural gas infrastructure and use will provide consumers more choice and make energy more affordable. States in New England that have blocked the development of energy infrastructure pay some of the highest energy rates in the country for their homes and businesses. In fact, according to the Global Energy Institute, families in the Northeast pay, on average, 44% more for residential electricity than other regions. Meanwhile, states like Texas, Pennsylvania, and the Dakotas that produce natural gas, and the nearby states that use it, pay some of the lowest rates in the country and continue to enjoy clean air and a healthy environment.
Next, maintaining a diverse mix of fuels, including natural gas, ensures energy reliability in the event of a weather emergency. The “bomb cyclone” winter storm that struck New England in 2018 caused a major spike in heating demand that, according to a National Energy Technology Laboratory report, could not have been met without power from our most dependable baseload energy sources.
Finally, using natural gas will continue to help America maintain its global leadership in clean air, including energy-related carbon dioxide emissions. In fact, our Nation’s air quality has improved by 77 percent over the last 50 years, including 7 percent under the Trump Administration. As the cleanest of the fossil fuels, natural gas should play a large role in our energy future. But we need the pipelines and other energy infrastructure to reap the consumer and environmental benefits of our abundant natural gas reserves.
During the 1970s, the United States experienced what happens when a country relies on foreign nations for energy: fuel shortages and price increases. As a result, we set out to become energy independent by using our domestic resources to meet our energy needs.
And we succeeded. The U.S. began this year once again as the world’s leader in oil and natural gas production, no longer defenseless against energy disruptions and political volatility around the world.
Yet we risk a repeat of past experiences if we refuse to develop the energy infrastructure needed to unlock our full energy potential. This Administration is committed to expanding pipeline development that will unleash our abundant domestic energy sources while providing choice, affordability, and reliability to consumers.
Dan Brouillette is the United States Secretary of Energy.