The Challenge: The U.S. Needs to Adapt to New Methods of Producing, Distributing, and Consuming Energy

• While private investment in key energy projects could support or preserve thousands of jobs in the next few years, environmental and safety concerns regarding these development have sparked controversy.
• The majority of today’s electricity transmission infrastructure is more than 25 years old and has failed to keep up with rapid industry changes.
• Even though the U.S. has a lead in many advanced energy technologies, there is an insufficient flow of capital to commercialize new advanced clean energy facilities in the U.S.

Jobs Council Recommendation: Adopt an “All-In” National Position on Energy

As a nation, America needs to be “all-in” on energy, open to a balanced portfolio of innovative solutions for our energy needs. The Jobs Council recommends the following immediate actions to maintain America’s low-cost energy advantage.

Make Extraordinary Efforts to Strike a Balance on Controversial Energy Developments

Environmental and safety concerns have sparked controversy over specific energy developments, including a pipeline that would transport heavy oil from northern Alberta in Canada to Oklahoma and the Gulf Coast, the resumption of deepwater drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, and horizontal drilling and hydrofracturing of shale gas supplies. Estimates suggest that these three streams of private investment, could together support or preserve hundreds of thousands of jobs in the next few years. The Jobs Council urges all stakeholders to make extraordinary efforts to strike an intelligent balance that protects people, safety, the environment, and our nation’s water supplies, while also allowing the economic benefits of these innovations to be realized.

Modernize and Expand the Electric Grid through Transmission Siting Reform

The current process for siting (i.e., locating and permitting) a transmission line was established in 1935. Now, successfully working through the permitting process can literally take years. Additionally, the United States has among the best clean energy resources in the world, but there is a lack of transmission capacity to fully take advantage of these resources. The Jobs Council believes there are opportunities to reform and accelerate the transmission siting process under existing federal law.

Mobilize Private Sector Financing for Advanced Energy Technologies

Without bold action, the U.S. risks falling behind its international competitors in the clean energy industry and thus losing its leadership position in one of the largest growth industries of the 21^st century. The Jobs Council believes the country should establish an independent, full faith and credit-backed government financing institution to mobilize the private sector in accelerating advanced energy technologies in support of U.S. national security, environmental, and competitiveness objectives.