Newt Gingrich Urges Keystone Pipeline Approval, Drilling Expansion To Lower Gas Prices

Newt Gingrich is attempting to revive his faltering campaign for president by attacking President Barack Obama's energy policy.

In a column in the conservative blog Human Events Wednesday, the former House speaker urged the approval of the Keystone XL pipeline project, the expansion of domestic oil and gas drilling, and the elimination of the Environmental Protection Agency, in order to help drive gas prices down to $2.50 per gallon.

"The Obama administration’s ideological refusal to expand American energy production continues to block the development of resources which could lower gasoline prices dramatically,” Gingrich wrote. “As we saw most recently with the administration's rejection of the Keystone XL pipeline, the president is more interested in playing favorites with environmental extremists rather than embracing the ‘all-of-the-above’ strategy that could achieve energy independence and help all Americans now."

High gas prices are especially likely to resonate in Michigan, whose GOP primary is set for Feb. 28.

The Keystone XL pipeline, which would transport oil from Alberta, Canada's tar sands to Texas refineries along the Gulf Coast, has been harshly criticized by environmental groups, who view it as a threat to the Ogallala Aquifer, one of the largest sources of fresh water in the world. Last month, Obama denied the TransCanada Corporation's proposal for the pipeline, saying that congressional Republicans had not allowed enough time for a full review of the pipeline's potential environmental impact.

In his State of the Union address, Obama himself pledged to pursue an "all-of-the-above" energy policy, including expansion of domestic oil production, in addition to further investments in clean energy.

Gingrich continued his campaign against Obama's energy policy by creating a Facebook petition aimed at pressuring the president to authorize the Keystone pipeline and to embrace his plan.

"$2.50 a gallon gas is not a dream. It’s achievable with the right policies, and that starts with a president who will stop bowing and start drilling,” Gingrich said. “If we take the right steps, we can quickly and dramatically reduce the price of gas by tapping America’s incredible oil and gas resources to increase supply," Gingrich wrote.

In his column, Gingrich also called for the replacement of the EPA with "a new economically rational Environmental Solutions Agency." He also suggested condensing regulations that would make it easier to build new oil refineries.

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Comments

[Laurent Wagner]

01:46 PM on 02/19/2012

With the Keystone XL oil sands pipeline and with shale oil, not only are gasoline prices unlikely to fall under $3 but that will also not prevent OPEC to become as strong as in 1973.

- With oil sands and shale oil, oil prices are unlikely to fall under $70.

Former BP Chief Executive Tony Hayward said the plentiful deep water oil resources in areas such as the Gulf of Mexico and Brazil, as well as Canada’s oil sands need an oil prices above $60-$70 to attract investors.

- At the same time, even if America, Canada and Brazil can add about 3 million barrels a day in 2015, OPEC will be as strong as in 1973.

In 2015, Opec will have to produce 37 million barrels a day to meet rising demand worldwide and to replace depleted oil fields.

As oil prices are set by supply and demand worldwide, oil prices will be more and more determined in the Middle East for years to come.

[Nostrafatu]

06:58 PM on 02/18/2012

So now it's all about blaming the President for Gas prices, last week it was the unemployment and before that the economy....These Republican wannabes have not come up with Any fresh ideas, platforms, or specifics regarding how they are going to fix anything. Nothing, nothing at all except to dismantle all the good things this President is doing in order to give control back to the Kochs and their types so they can line their pockets at the expense of the middle class. Keep up the rhetoric and the lies, it won't work because in the End the truth will kick at the darkness until it bleeds daylight.

[wtf is this]

12:31 AM on 02/19/2012

In case you haven't read the latest republican history books, Obama is also responsible for WWII, the civil war, the atlantis continent sinking & the meteor that wiped out the dinosaurs.

[Stan DaMann]

06:15 PM on 02/18/2012

Newt, it is now over 3 weeks since you promised to release your medical records. What are you hiding, Newt?

The Greedy One Percent Party wants to eliminate the Environmental Protection Agency. Well, that alone means they will never get my vote. History has taught us many times that corporations are only interested in profit, and will ruin the planet if left unregulated.

[Kenz300]

05:58 PM on 02/18/2012

Oil prices are going up around the world. The demand from China and Indian keeps rising faster than supply, raising the price for all. We import 60% of our oil on the open market.

All of us, individuals, business and politicians need to develop a plan to deal with higher oil prices and reduced supplies.

Raising energy efficiency would be a good start. Our transportation systems, cars, trucks, boats and planes use the most oil products. We need to end the oil monopoly on transportation fuel. Bring on the electric, flex-fuel, hybrid, CNG, LNG and hydrogen fueled vehicles.

[Zariana]

01:32 PM on 02/18/2012

Lowering gas prices can also be achieved by lowering demand. Which can be accomplished by increasing fuel efficiency regulations.

So, Newt, are you in favor of lower gas prices or not? 'Cause if you really are serious about it, you do both, not just one.

[Aladdin Sane1]

06:38 PM on 02/17/2012

Gasoline is ugly. Just look at it on your hand.

[Reaniel]

02:54 PM on 02/17/2012

He forgot to mention the 10 million jobs it'll help create!

[blackwind]

06:21 PM on 02/17/2012

Hell, as long as it's just fantasy, lets have it create 50 million jobs!

[Reaniel]

10:18 PM on 02/17/2012

Double or nothing! 100 Million I say!

[Wanderland]

12:39 PM on 02/17/2012

Newt Gingrich desperately looks through the Republican Arsenal and finds a 2008 vintage 'Drill Baby, Drill," that no one is using anymore, given its proven ineffectiveness.

Time to suspend the ol' campaign, Newt. You're not going to get a second surge.

[democratsaint]

11:37 AM on 02/17/2012

I know since price is SO important,lets kick the oil companies OUT of public lands,create a public oil company,that sells oil at cost.

[Djay0252]

11:04 AM on 02/17/2012

Ex Speaker Gingrich and his Mars Attack Lady need to retire. I hear N Korea is lovely this time of year.

[AMlegion]

09:04 AM on 02/17/2012

Yet the stock market bases price on speculation.

So let me get this straight. Big oil boast huge profit margin, sell american gasoline, import foriegn crude, and piliage the pockets of Americans just trying to get to work during the week.+

Did I miss anything?!?!?!??!??!

[pmoschetta]

02:37 PM on 02/17/2012

While Newt and the other republicant cronies convince their minions that the tar sands refined (diesel) product would reduce our dependency on foriegn oil the fact is, the USA's largest commodity export in 2011 was in fact GASOLINE
If we are exporting so much gasoline, why would we need to refine this pollution creating nightmare?

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/energy/story/2011-12-31/united-states-export/52298812/1

[Totto]

08:10 AM on 02/17/2012

How Repugs treat their own: http://spectator.org/archives/2012/02/16/it-is-time-for-newt-to-go

[94613]

03:42 AM on 02/17/2012

"Comeback at the pump ?", This Siphon Hose has been sucking from the K Street spigot since the 73 embargo. Loot4Newt!

[vanston27]

03:30 AM on 02/17/2012

We should be raising the price of gasoline to limit the number of cars on the road... Driving should be a luxury.

[Totto]

08:11 AM on 02/17/2012

Live in NYC, do you?

[Josh Crawford]

03:21 AM on 02/17/2012

According to TransCanada's (the builder of the pipeline) application to the Canadian government for this project: "“Existing markets for Canadian heavy crude, principally PADD II [U.S. Midwest], are currently oversupplied, resulting in price discounting for Canadian heavy crude oil. Access to the USGC [U.S. Gulf Coast] via the Keystone XL Pipeline is expected to strengthen Canadian crude oil pricing in [the Midwest] by removing this oversupply. This is expected to increase the price of heavy crude to the equivalent cost of imported crude. The resultant increase in the price of heavy crude is estimated to provide an increase in annual revenue to the Canadian producing industry in 2013 of US $2 billion to US $3.9 billion.”
In other words, if the XL project is completed the oil will by pass the Midwest and be sent to the Gulf Coast where TransCanada can charge MORE for it. It will INCREASE the price of that oil and much of it will be EXPORTED from the US to Latin America and Europe. Wake up people, this is a scam of truly epic proportions from TransCanada and "Big Oil"... Do your own research....

[canadianbell21]

06:58 AM on 02/17/2012

Interesting piece of info. But I don't think it's a scam by TransCanada if they are the ones who published this application. If it's a scam, wouldn't they have just not mentioned the higher prices? It does sound suspicious for sure.

[Josh Crawford]

05:20 PM on 02/17/2012

Well, this was info in their application to the Canadian government. It's not like they are trumpeting the same info to American citizens. And our politicians here (at least the ones in favor of the project) aren't mentioning it at all. Also, I'm not sure it's correct to say that TransCanada "published" this application. They "submitted" it to the Canadian government but I don't think they "published" it in any way. Furthermore, the "scam" part of it to me is the fact that TC has NOT made this (and other) point(s) clear to us in America. Their claims about the number of jobs has been debunked as has their claim about how much money will be spent on the project in the USA (they say it's a $7 billion project but neglect to mention that only about half of that will be spent in America). It's more about what they're NOT saying...

[democratsaint]

11:41 AM on 02/17/2012

newt has said as well as the right,that private companies can do anything better,well let THEM build the pipeline,no one is topping them from spending THEIR money.THAT tells you 1 thing,it is a money loser.That is when they want the gvt in on it,if they cannot make a dime.

[Josh Crawford]

05:22 PM on 02/17/2012

To be fair and honest, this IS a private project. The US govt is just involved in the permitting process, there is no public/govt money involved in the construction of the project itself. I really don't think that that is any issue in this case....