Bingaman Aims to Moderate Administration Energy Plans.(Senator Jeff Bingaman, energy policy)

New Mexico Senator makes himself heard on energy issues

In a speech in late April, Vice President Dick Cheney said, "Conservation may be a sign of personal virtue, but it is not a sufficient basis for a sound, comprehensive energy policy." The speech may foreshadow a long struggle in the nation's capital over the value of conservation and renewable sources of energy, the need for oil and gas exploration in the Arctic Natural Wildlife Refuge, and the re-emergence of nuclear power plants. Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) is already part of the discussion, having introduced energy legislation (see sidebar) with Sen. Tom Daschle (D-SD) that attributes more importance to conservation and renewable sources of energy than did the vice president. Sen. Bingaman discussed these and other issues with Energy User News.

EUN: Senator, please describe your role in the Senate.

BINGAMAN: I'm the ranking Democrat on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee in the Senate. The committee oversees federal management of public land and energy policy through DOE (Department of Energy), EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), and other agencies.

EUN: What are the biggest energy problems facing the U.S. today?

BINGAMAN: We have a lot of major energy concerns in the U.S. today. We have a need to increase supply and control the growth of demand for electricity. The West Coast in particular is in crisis.

We have a need for more infrastructure for natural gas for heating. More and more, natural gas is the fuel people and small business depend on. But the natural gas infrastructure is inadequate for the future.