WASHINGTON, D.C. – IER President Thomas Pyle sent a letter today to Navy Secretary Ray Mabus criticizing the use of experimental biofuels by a carrier strike group in the Pacific ocean. Pyle also informed Mabus of his request for Congress to initiate an “immediate, exhaustive, and unyielding” investigation of the abuse of taxpayer dollars represented by the Navy’s biofuel experiment, called "The Great Green Fleet" be defense department officials. “The Navy Department’s claim...
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  Former Republican South Carolina Rep. Bob Inglis has started up a new 501(c)(3) organization reportedly to show conservatives the light on climate change and other energy issues. Yet Inglis’ case for a “free market” heavy hand of federal intervention makes little sense. The following excerpt is from an interview Inglis gave David Roberts, an environmental writer at Grist.com. It provides good flavor of Inglis’ views:

[David Roberts:] Tell me about the new organization you’re...

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  Can you imagine a prosperous America that utilizes its domestic energy resources to fuel a dynamic economy, jobs and technological innovation? President Obama doesn’t appear to imagine a future of plentiful energy resources. Instead, the President perpetuates the myth that America is strapped for energy with only 2% of the world’s proven oil reserves and leads an Administration that is more hostile to American energy development than any in recent history. Unfortunately for the...
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  WASHINGTON D.C. — IER President Thomas Pyle sent a letter today to four congressional chairmen calling for an “immediate, exhaustive and unyielding” investigation of the Defense Department’s decision to fuel naval exercises in the Pacific ocean using biofuels that cost $27 per gallon. The letter was sent to Chairman Buck McKeon of the House Armed Services Committee, Chairman Carl Levin of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Chairman Darrell Issa of the House Oversight Committee,...
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  The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Renewable Identification Numbers, RINs, are causing the refining industry a lot of grief and the American public a lot of money.  If nothing changes, the grief and the money wasted could grow rapidly, damaging the economy and family budgets. RINs are a byproduct of the Renewable Fuels Standard that mandates a certain amount of biofuels (e.g. ethanol) to be produced and used by refiners each year. The purpose of RINs is to track biofuel...
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  The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) was ecstatic over the recent appellate court ruling, upholding the EPA’s power to regulate carbon dioxide emissions under the Clean Air Act. Yet the NRDC’s description misleads the innocent reader on several crucial points. Contrary to their claims, federal regulations in the energy and transportation sectors won’t help the economy, and the EPA’s own projections of climate benefits are quite humorous. Here’s the gist of the NRDC...
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  The Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations recently released a scathing memo on Section 1603 of the Obama stimulus plan. The grant program, administered by the Department of Energy, was frequently touted as a way to create “green jobs” while simultaneously benefiting the environment. Yet the new memo documents that the program was a complete flop on the jobs front, which should come as no surprise. The Scope and Alleged Benefits of the Program Section 1603 offered cash...
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  The BlueGreen Alliance has released a new study arguing that tighter fuel economy standards on cars and light trucks will not only mitigate climate change, but will also create jobs. As with most studies in the “green jobs” literature, this one too rests on faulty economic analysis. The federal government doesn’t do consumers any favors by restricting their options in the marketplace. The BlueGreen Alliance study at least has the honesty to admit—albeit in a very low-key...
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  WASHINGTON D.C. -- On breaking news that a congressional conference report for the transportation bill will not include a provision forcing the approval of the Keystone XL Pipeline, American Energy Alliance President Thomas Pyle issued the following statement: "House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Leader Harry Reid seem ready to push a major, multi-billion dollar transportation and infrastructure bill through both chambers just in time to meet a deadline this weekend. But nowhere in the...
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And you shall know the truth.  And the truth shall set you free.  At least that is what my friend John says. We offer this without comment.  Except to say that in every instance subsidies are corrupting.  You know, like the Food Stamp bill just passed by the Senate. The Hill  (6/21/12) Reports: Low natural-gas prices mean that it’s economical to power heavy trucks with the fuel even without federal incentives, according to a new report that finds up-front investment costs for...
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