Synfuels

Number: 1980-06

 

WHEREAS, the nation faces serious problems due to its high dependence on insecure foreign sources of oil, and;

WHEREAS, there are several options for reducing that dependence in an economic and environmentally responsible manner, including energy conservation, switching to greater dependence on such renewable resources as solar energy and developing the nation’s abundant unconventional natural gas and heavy crude oil resources, and;

WHEREAS, synthetic fuels, while they can also reduce the nation’s dependence on foreign oil, have a number of serious environmental problems associated with their production and use, and;

WHEREAS, many policy makers in Congress and the Executive branch of the federal government are paying too little attention to comparing the costs and benefits of synthetic fuels to those of alternative energy supply options;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the National Wildlife Federation, in annual meeting assembled March 20-23, 1980, in Miami Beach, Fla., strongly urges that the development of synthetic fuels technology be done in a deliberate, responsible manner, and;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the federal government be urged to aggressively investigate and demonstrate at the same time other options for reducing dependence on foreign sources of petroleum to allow policy makers to select those options which have the lowest social, environmental and economic costs.