Why ASPO-USA is in Washington DC
It is easy to assume that the move of ASPO-USA’s home base from Denver to Washington DC this past year signaled an increased focus on influencing federal policy. Proximity to policymakers, however, is only a part of the story, and not necessarily the most important part. The high concentration of media, information resources, organizations, and institutions in DC are even more compelling reasons to be in the nation’s capital.
First, we have been working to engage federal policymakers. In October, we held a news conference in front of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to present a letter to Energy Secretary Steven Chu that outlined ASPO-USA’s fundamental concerns about oil and the inadequacy of DOE’s attention to the Peak Oil issue. We are continuing to work to gain an official response to our letter.
We have also been working to strengthen our outreach to key Members of Congress. Our immediate goal, however, is not to pass legislation. It is extremely challenging and resource-intensive to move any legislation through Congress, and it is particularly difficult in the current political environment. ASPO-USA does not currently have the capacity to sustain such an effort.
It is also unclear what the federal government can and should do to address Peak Oil. Our work has been careful to avoid proposing a policy “solution” to Peak Oil. We have stressed that the federal government’s role is first and foremost to help educate Americans and inform actions to be taken by the private or public sector. Directing the federal government to examine the issue seriously and openly is the main theme of ASPO-USA’s proposed National Oil Emergency Response Plan. While such a plan could be part of federal or administrative policy reform, it is primarily a vehicle for focusing attention and public discourse on the issue with a variety of audiences—including policymakers.
Most of the people we talk to and work with in Washington are NOT on Capitol Hill. Peak Oil needs to be confronted by virtually all Americans, and our educational outreach efforts need to reach a wide variety of audiences. Washington, DC is where hundreds of organizations are headquartered—business and industry groups, labor unions, research and scientific institutions, non-profit organizations focused on the economy, energy, national security, social welfare, public health, environment, and much more. In addition, Washington DC is a media center. Policymakers, and the many other Washington players, are often more valuable as newsmakers and communications assets than as forces for policy change.
ASPO-USA moved to DC to sharpen and expand its capacity to increase public awareness and visibility of the Peak Oil issue among key audiences. However, ASPO-USA will remain focused on its role as a cutting-edge information and educational resource—not only to stay faithful to our core mission, but because our reputation and credibility as a leading information and educational resource are critical to the effectiveness of our public outreach efforts.
Comments
By Louis(Lou) W Powers on January 12th, 2012 at 3:33 pm
Good luck in your attempt to influence Washington. I have been working on that since 1990 when I worked with Gene Ames Chairman of the IPAA and published a report about the hazards of increasing oil imports in America. I also testified in 93 or 94 on National Energy Security. I recently sent a list of questions to the Republican National Committee that need to be asked of the Presidential canidates but heard nothing back. I would like to forward these to you, if give me your E Mail address.
Some of this is chronicled in my new book titled the World Energy Dilemma which you can learn about if you have not seen my web site. I am proud to have Jack Zagar former Peak Oil Director and son-in-law of Dr. Colin Campbell as one of my supporters. Jack thinks I have one of the best analysis of future Saudi production available in the Western Press. Jack worked for me when I was Chief Petroleum Engineer in Saudi Arabia 1977-79
My analysis is much different than Matt Simmons gave some 6 years ago. I told him he was wrong at the time but he never listened to me too much. We did stay in communication on ocassion and I looked forward to a debate with him until his untimely death.
I would look forward to continuing this dialouge with one of your representives in the future.
My book is about 25 % inolved with Saudi Arabia, the rest is my other 50 plus years in the industry. It is not about peak oil per say bu about the many dilemmas I see the energy planners of the world our faced with in order to timely develop the oil resources we need in a timely manner. Most of them are political stemming from where you are now located.
I conclude the world because of higher prices and new technology have plenty of oil to meet rising demand but the myriad of road blocks will prevent it being made available in a timely manner, perhaps a long plateau versus a peak.
Please visit my Web Site i am marketing my book pre publicaion and offering a 12% discount. I am sure you will find this two year project an interesting read. I wish it was out now. I just sent my final edit to PennWell this week. They will have to push hard to get it out by March their target date.
PennWell hired an excellent editor Eric Watkins who served some 20 years in the middle east as a journalist.
Thanks for your attention. I would sure like to send you my energy questions.
Lou Powers
By Dennis Meadows on January 13th, 2012 at 3:09 pm
I believe the goals of the ASPO members would be much better satisfied by having an annual meeting outside Washington, DC. Since 1982 I have conducted an annual five day meeting for professionals interested in sustainable development. We hold it in a small hotel out in the country. This has two enormous advantages - it is quite a bit cheaper than using a big city hotel, and it keeps people together during the entire meeting. So meals, breaks, and evenings all serve the purpose of networking and informal conversation.