Claire McCaskill: A Senator on OUR Side

ENERGY INDEPENDENCE FOR MISSOURI

Our addiction to oil poses a threat not only to our pocketbooks, but to America 's national security as we rely on unstable regimes for our oil. Claire believes the same American ingenuity which sent a man to the moon through the Apollo Project in the 1960s, can also make us energy independent by 2020. A responsible energy plan will protect consumers, encourage alternative fuels, and reduce our reliance on oil through developing renewable sources of energy and improving end-use efficiency. Energy independence can also help revitalize Missouri's rural economies. As Americans, we should be embarrassed that we continue to import 60% of our oil, while Brazil became oil independent in April 2006 thanks to a 30-year investment in alternatives to oil. Unfortunately, our leaders in Washington have not had the same kind of vision and instead, lavish billions on the oil industry instead of funding true energy independence. Claire plans to be on the side of Missouri's consumers, small businesses and farmers and not the deep-pocketed special interests.

PROTECT CONSUMERS FROM PRICE-GOUGING

Claire believes Congress needs to hold hearings to look into whether oil companies are illegally profiting at the expense of Missouri consumers. She also believes we need to investigate possible market manipulation and giving the authority to the Federal Trade Commission to crack down on price gouging.

Claire will support price transparency so consumers and investigatory groups can clearly see who is making the largest profits along the chain from the refineries to the distributors. Reports on 2005 energy profits indicate that while local gas stations made a meager 5% profit, refineries made an average 255% over a twelve month period. With over 2,500 oil company mergers in the past 15 years, Claire also advocates making sure big oil isn't violating antitrust laws. The top 5 oil companies now control over half the retail market here in the U.S and half of domestic refinery production. We need to find out if concentration in the market is impacting competition.

CLAIRE'S PLAN

• Claire supports cracking down on price gouging
• Claire wants price transparency for consumers
• Claire believes we need to examine antitrust laws in the oil industry
  
  

ETHANOL and ALTERNATIVE FUELS

Claire strongly supports reducing our demand for oil and developing alternative fuels, both to improve our national security and to support Missouri's farmers. Investing in ethanol is an important first step towards developing renewable fuels. We also need to develop even cleaner, more efficient cellulosic ethanol, which can be produced from biomass. Claire believes in developing local production of feedstocks and fuels and local and farmer ownership of processing plants. Claire will fight to make sure that ethanol production does not end up being controlled by a few big out-of-state corporations and will promote incentives that favor smaller-scale, farmer-owned processing facilities.

However, all the renewable fuels in the world will not help ease our oil crisis if we do not also encourage more gas stations to carry renewable fuels and develop a viable market for "flex fuel" vehicles that can run on all types of fuels. Instead of investing in these new technologies, Washington has mostly focused on showering tax breaks and subsidies to the oil companies. We need leaders who make energy security our number one priority, instead of an election-year ploy.

CLAIRE'S PLAN

• Claire supports the use of biofuels and other renewable energy sources, including E85 and cellulosic ethanol
• Claire supports promoting farmers cooperatives to make sure our farmers receive the benefits of increased use of ethanol
• Claire supports making alternative fuels more available to consumers
  
  

RENEWABLE ENERGY

Renewable energy sources, like wind, solar and biomass can help America meet its energy needs. Unlike oil and coal, which will one day be depleted, these energy sources are inexhaustible. Wind power is the fastest growing form of electricity generation in the United States, expanding at an average annual rate of more than 20%. These independent, reliable energy sources diversify our energy mix, creating a more secure and stable system. At the same time, these energy sources are cleaner than fossil fuels, so they're good for the environment as well.

Solar energy employs more than 20,000 Americans in high-tech, high-paying jobs. Ethanol producers make 4 billion gallons of fuel a year, equal to 2 percent of our national gasoline use. Claire believes that Missouri's farmers can play a key role in our transition away from a fossil-fuel based economy and that more should be done to also start producing cellulosic ethanol. Financial incentives and loans should also be allotted for farm-based development of renewable energy programs. Both the Value-Added Producer Grants and the Conservation Security Program have helped farmers to utilize renewable energy technology.

CLAIRE'S PLAN

• Claire supports creating a Renewable Energy Standard that calls for 10% of our electricity to come from renewable sources by 2020.
• Claire supports programs that help farmers and other small providers develop clean energy projects
  
  

FUEL ECONOMY

We use 15 million barrels of oil per day to fuel our transportation needs -- that's 68% of the oil we consume. Clearly, if we are going to seriously address our dependence on foreign oil, we are going to have to take a look at reducing demand for oil. Claire believes that American companies can improve our national security and our economic competitiveness through innovation. The technology to make more efficient cars and trucks already exists. American companies need help in bringing these solutions to the market. Claire believes that incentives for producing more efficient vehicles, coupled with making alternative fuels more available will save Americans money at the gas pump, create new opportunities for American farmers, open new markets for American technologies and ultimately, make our country more secure. Claire believes that the Government can help build markets for these products and save taxpayers money by making its own vehicle fleets, including military vehicles, more efficient.

CLAIRE'S PLAN

• Claire supports empowering the auto industry to retool factories and ramp up production of efficient cars and trucks through incentive programs
• Claire supports helping consumers them make smart vehicle choices through better information and tax credits.
• Claire supports creating new markets for fuel efficient cars and trucks and alternative fuel vehicles through leveraging the government's purchasing power -- converting government fleets to efficient and alternative fuel vehicles.
  
  

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

Energy Efficiency is the least expensive and most effective way to reduce our dependence on oil by actually getting more bang from each unit of electricity we use. Technological advances like compact fluorescent light bulbs and energy efficient appliances can save consumers money and reduce our need for energy. Investing in efficient technologies can help everyone -- from urban residents to farmers -- deal with oil prices, home-heating costs and electricity bills. Claire strongly supports energy efficiency as a key element to solving our energy crisis. In fact, due to increased efficiencies, Americans are already using 25% less electricity than was predicted 30 years ago. We need to encourage and provide incentives to Missouri's businesses, farmers and consumers to utilize energy efficiency in our buildings, appliances and farming practices.

CLAIRE'S PLAN

• Claire supports research and development of energy efficient technologies that help all Americans get more power from each unit of energy
• Claire supports making buildings and appliances more energy efficient through incentives for farmers, homeowners, schools and businesses.
  
  

COAL TO LIQUID FUEL

Coal is to the United States what oil is to Saudi Arabia. Technology exists to turn coal into liquid fuel that could also reduce our need for foreign oil. There are questions regarding energy efficient extraction and environmental concerns, but the right technology and investment could convert America's abundant coal reserves into synthetic fuels. A public-private partnership using state-of-art "scrubbers" and carbon dioxide sequestration could make this a promising initiative and also revive Missouri's coal industry.

CLAIRE'S PLAN

• Claire supports further investment and research into coal liquefaction.