As turmoil in the Middle East continues, many worry about its effect on oil prices in the United States. As of March 7, 2011, crude oil prices reached about $106 a barrel, and the average U.S. gas prices increased by $0.14, according to PBS. Officials from the Obama administration are not excluding the option of “tapping into the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.”

The Strategic Petroleum Reserve is an emergency stockpile in Texas and Louisiana of 727 million barrels [PBS]. Incoming White House Press Secretary James Carney told the media that rising prices alone would not compel them to tap into the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.  Daniel Weiss of the Center for American Progress emphasizes an end to dependence on foreign oil. He also mentions that the Republican budget will cut the agency that polices trades by one-third. Weiss believes that more policing of these trades will lead to immediate reduction in oil prices.

Finally, Weiss stated that two other ways to combat high oil prices immediately would be to invest in local transit and provide incentives for people to buy electric (and high-efficiency) vehicles, according to PBS.

The Progressive Democrats of Towson believe in investing in alternative energy. Rather than tapping into oil reserves, we believe in investing in solar panels, natural gas, and wind energy (which will also create jobs). There are three types of solar panels: polycrystalline solar panels, monocrystalline solar panels, and amorphous silicon solar panels (monocrystalline being the better-performing, but more expensive). As a result of the 30 percent solar tax credit, solar power is expected to be the most affordable source of energy to U.S. consumers by 2016.

As it becomes more expensive to fuel our vehicles, more people are investing in natural gas. Compressed natural gas, according to MSNBC, uses about one-third of a gallon that gasoline uses on average. In addition, as of 2008, about 97 percent of the natural gas used in the United States is produced in North America. Richard Kolodziej, president of Natural Gas Vehicles for America, noted three benefits to natural gas (other than it being cheaper than gasoline: it produces less greenhouse gases, reduces air pollution, and reduces our dependency on foreign oil.

According to Environmental Maryland, offshore wind … farms have “major job creation potential” to help both the economy and the environment. Offshore wind farms, because they emphasize local job creation and pollution reduction, can be the type of innovation both President Barack Obama and Governor Martin O’Malley have discussed. The Maryland General Assembly is currently discussing legislation that essentially involves investing a little early in offshore wind farms and having that result in job creation, pollution reduction, and stabilization of electricity rates.

- Alison Aminzadeh, Progressive Democrats of Towson

As recent events around the world have shown, as long as we depend on foreign oil and energy sources, our prices and economy are reliant on circumstances out of our hands. The answer is a two-pronged approach: securing domestic production of energy and decreasing the use of energy.

For domestic production, the current administration needs to open up oil drilling in the gulf instead of placing a new moratorium on drilling every month, even after the judicial system has ruled against such restrictions. By opening up the Gulf and other regions to domesticate production of energy, the United States would save the energy that would be used to transport the oil to the United States. Additionally, the jobs to collect that oil would be held domestically, potentially revitalizing the Gulf Coast and assisting the government in bringing down the deficit via new tax revenues.

The creation of wind farms off of the eastern and western seaboards is needed as well. By allowing for shipping lanes to remain open while utilizing wind is extremely important. As larger orders of wind turbines are made for these massive farms, the cost for such turbines can go down and new jobs to maintain and build these turbines can be created. Other avenues such as hydroelectric and solar energy sources must be encouraged as well via tax incentives.

With these domestic production initiatives, there should be movement toward greener sources based off tax incentives, not regulation. Greener cars are more expensive, and those that need them the most (the poor) are unable to afford them because of the increased costs. With tax incentives for businesses and individuals to produce and buy these vehicles, they can become affordable for Americans with lower incomes. Better insulation for houses must also be encouraged. While it costs more in the short run, with high initial costs, there are long-run benefits of lower energy costs and usage. If incentives were given at the beginning of these initiatives to bring down initial costs, the future can be secured, money can be saved, and the environment can be put to better use.

With this two pronged approach, energy prices can be brought down quickly with just the announcement of new oil production in the Gulf, and our long term future can be secured via the increased use of alternative sources and …  decreased energy usage, both of which are environmentally conscious.

- Joshua Nolet