Daily Record - "There's no easy answer"

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Daily Record - "There's no easy answer"

Joseph Pennacchio was revved up the other night, talking about how in years past, American ingenuity split the atom and put a man on the moon. If we can do that, he insisted, we can make ourselves energy independent.

Pennacchio, a state senator from Montville, offered these comments before a group of Mercer County Republicans in Hamilton Township. It is part of his spiel in his campaign for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate. Pennacchio still appears to be the frontrunner to represent the GOP this fall, although there are two others in the race and a third may be entering.

We have heard talk of "energy independence" since the initial "oil crisis" of 1974. If you recall, that was when a gallon of gas rose from about 30 cents to 50 cents. Ah, the good old days. Despite all the talk, nothing has happened. And the situation, of course, has gotten worse. Some of the major oil companies have merged since the 1970s, resulting in even less competition. With the price of a gallon predicted by some to hit $4 this summer, Pennacchio's energy independence talk is a good issue.

What does he propose?

"Our goal should be the eventual elimination of fossil fuels and the proliferation of clean, safe, renewable energy resources," he says.

Pennacchio advocates more exploration in the Gulf of Mexico and guardedly backs drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

"Drilling in ANWR," he says, "must be accompanied with a commitment to rid ourselves of foreign oil. Without that commitment I would not be in favor of drilling in ANWR because it serves no long-term goal."

The candidate also wants to increase use of oil shale reserves and he says that the nation should also look to use more coal. He says:

"According to the American Coal Foundation, the United States has the largest reserves of recoverable coal -- 275 billion tons -- or about 25 percent of the world's reserves. This could last us 250 years at present consumption rates."

Using more coal has a quaint 1940s feel to it, but it also poses environmental risks.

However, credit Pennacchio for thinking about the topic and coming up with some ideas.

He also talks about hydrogen-powered fuel cells, and asks, "Why are we not demanding more solar panel installation?"

Pennacchio's talk of energy is more noteworthy when viewed in contrast to what happened last week in the race for the Republican U.S. Senate nomination. Andy Unanue of Bergen County entered the race -- on Easter Sunday no less.

Within days, Unanue, whose family started Goya Foods, was confronted with stories about how he was ousted from the family business because of excessive partying. Murray Sabrin, the third candidate in the race, dismissed Unanue as a "playboy night club owner."

Oh well, compared to that stuff, mining coal sounds boring, doesn't it?

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