On May 7, we learned of a cyberattack on the Colonial Pipeline. This resulted in gas shortages and lines across the East coast.
During a news conference, Energy Secretary Granholm said, “pipelines are the best way to transport fuel.”
This is certainly a fact. Pipelines are much safer than transporting oil by rail or truck.
Iowa has over 40,000 miles of pipeline which go largely unnoticed but play a large role in providing our nation’s transportation fuel.
It’s not lost on millions of Americans that this statement from the Energy Secretary comes from the same Administration who on day one shut down the Keystone Pipeline.
On day one, this Administration cut 10,000 jobs.
This has already resulted in rising gas prices like we’re seeing across the country. In fact, gas prices will soon be more expensive than at any time since the Obama administration.
This cyberattack showed America just how critical pipeline infrastructure is for transportation and national security.
For an Administration that is stressing infrastructure, maybe they should take a second look at the Keystone XL pipeline.
I shudder to think that if the Colonial Pipeline was attempting to get a permit today, the Biden administration might not even allow construction.
The United States should be encouraging private infrastructure investment, not getting in the way of progress.
As long as our country is still relying on oil to fill our gas tanks, we need to have the infrastructure and security in place so that what happened last week does not happen again.
When there is a shortage of oil, biofuels can be an easy substitute that can be subbed in.
But again, government red tape is getting in the way. The EPA should quickly finalize a rule to broaden the availability of existing infrastructure for use with E15 and related labeling concerns.
This would allow more gas stations to use their current tanks for E15.
We need a balanced approach and biofuels such as ethanol and biodiesel can help achieve greenhouse gas reductions, strengthen our national security and keep gas prices in check.
