BLM Oil Shale

From: Billings Gazette

As veterans of the American armed services, the importance of ensuring America’s natural security resonates with us very deeply. We once wore the uniform of our country every day with the mission to keep our country safe and secure. Today, we are concerned about how our weakness in energy security leaves us weak on the national security front.

On July 11, we, along with other distinguished American veterans from 26 states, flew to Washington, D.C.

We visited Washington on behalf of the Montana Energy Forum part in America’s Energy Forum Vets4Energy Veteran Fly-In program where we had the opportunity to meet with our senators and their staffs to discuss energy policy. America’s Energy Forum is a nonpartisan coalition of citizens committed to two goals — achieving energy security for our country and holding our elected officials more accountable in shaping energy policies. Forum members are united in their resolve to demand action from their lawmakers on the myriad of legislative issues threatening energy security.

During that visit, we discussed the importance of developing our American energy resources through the incredible process of hydraulic fracturing. We also discussed the importance of the Keystone XL pipeline for Montana’s economy and job growth.

One out of five barrels of oil that we import come from hostile countries even though our friendly neighbor just north of us (Canada) is ready and willing to share its rich oil sands. The U.S. State Department refuses to allow the pipeline’s construction to cross into the United States since they fear the wrath of environmentalists who oppose Canada’s drilling process. It’s startling that our own government is more afraid of domestic activists than they are of foreign countries that have nothing but contempt for the United States.

Experts estimate that America’s shale formations could yield as much as 11 billion barrels of oil, almost seven times what we imported from OPEC nations in 2011.

Despite the misinformation that flies around about this method of producing oil and gas, in more than 60 years there has not been a single confirmed case of hydraulic fracturing contaminating groundwater. There is no credible evidence to suggest that the record of safety has been or will be compromised, here in Montana or anywhere else in the United States. There are stringent standards, procedures and regulations in place to ensure the safety of hydraulic fracturing based on nearly a century of experience in oil and natural gas drilling.

The truth is that our shale formations have the opportunity to greatly reduce our dependence on foreign oil, secure our energy future and shore up our national security interests.

It would be a mistake not to take advantage of the energy resources here at home. It is our belief that we need to develop a clear, concise and comprehensive energy policy and that energy security equals national security. The Keystone XL pipeline is a big part of that equation. We must do everything we can to wean ourselves from the dependence on sources who seek to harm our nation. We must develop our own enormous domestic resources and shift our reliance on countries we know we can depend on.