Rogers for Congress - Rogers: US needs to drill now

By Jim Totten
DAILY PRESS & ARGUS
Along the lines of the "drill, baby, drill" chants at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn., U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Brighton, told a local audience the United States needs to utilize all its energy resources - oil, nuclear, wind and solar.
"We have to do all of it, and all of it now," he said.
In addition to lowering prices, Rogers said the country needs to wean itself off foreign supplies of oil for a crucial reason. He said the U.S. is pumping billions of oil dollars into countries that don't support us and pose a threat, namely Russia, Venezuela and Saudi Arabia.
"We're arming the people who want to undermine us," Rogers said.
He said Russia and Venezuela could be conducting joint naval exercises. He also said Venezuela is planning to purchase submarines, Russia has new missiles that can reach the U.S., and
Saudi Arabia is spending $3 billion on new Islamic schools in Indonesia.
Rogers said he favored expanding oil drilling, building new oil refineries and nuclear plants, pushing for more solar and wind power and helping automotive companies launch hybrid cars. Speaking at a Greater Brighton Area Chamber of Commerce breakfast Monday, Roger said he supported drilling for oil in Alaska's 19-million-acre Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and the continental shelf. Environmental groups have opposed drilling in these areas.
"The solution for this energy situation is sitting right in front of us," Rogers said.
The most frustrating part, Rogers said, is some government regulations that prohibit the country from moving quicker. As an example, he said one company has spent $3 billion over 10 years trying to build a new refinery in Arizona. He said the country needs more refineries, and they would in turn help lower gasoline prices.
"Enough is enough," he said. "Give us everything."
If the U.S. could tap into all of its potential oil reserves, Rogers said, the country could by 2015 generate all of its own oil and
not buy a barrel from foreign countries.
Rogers said he also favored giving the Detroit Big Three automakers loans for research and development so those companies can come up with the next generation of cars, such as the GM Volt, which can go 40 miles on a single charge of electric battery power.
Scott Griffith, co-owner of ERA Griffith Realty, said rising gas prices are an "unavoidable" for county residents. He said 50 percent of area residents commute outside the county to work, and there's no other options for drivers because there is no public transportation.
"It's the big elephant in the room for us in Livingston County," Griffith said.
Griffith said people are feeling trapped because they're watching their home values drop, and yet they continue to pay more for gasoline. He said a relative recently had to decide between getting a pizza or buying more gasoline, and he can't recall another time when residents were faced with such choices.
Contact Daily Press & Argus reporter Jim Totten at (517) 548-7088 or at jtotten@gannett.com.

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