Missoula News

Montana Energy Symposium

DOD Supports Domestic Supply

By Brooke Hewes, 10-19-05

It was a presentation that apparently lit Governor Brian Schweitzer's fuse, or so he told reporters at the press table following Assistant Deputy Under Secretary of Defense Dr. Ted Barna's speech today.

It’s also a presentation that will likely fuel existing fires in the bellies of those in the audience purporting renewable energy sources, which Barna barely acknowledged.

Instead, he touted more efficient ways to utilize fossil fuels such as the infamous gas and liquid coal-derived fuels. Not only will clean coal help the environment, Barna said, it will boost national security.

“More and more we are dependant on foreign oil and foreign refined fuels, which makes us a target for terrorism,� he said. “We need to secure, reliable, indigenous sources of energy. I pay taxes too; I just assume the money stays with us.�

According to Barna, nine fuel sources come from Iraq and Afghanistan despite what he deems abundance on and deep within our own soil—resources that can (luckily for DOD) power jet planes, Navy ships and other mainstays of national defense.

But before we switch, hurdles—construction and design delays, costs, market acceptance —need to be heeded and then cautiously jumped; if we stumble, we could drown in the reservoir of risk he calls “the valley of death.�

Thankfully, the dreary metaphor was lightened by the cheerful, persistent ring of Barna’s cell phone (probably the wife calling, he said) and Schweitzer’s quick witted penalty: “That will cost you $50 for MSU Foundation.�

Sometimes it’s best not to take ourselves so seriously, especially in light of the ethanol powered Chevy truck parked stage left, which is painted blue, green and white to mimic some semblance of the great outdoors. Kind of like those SUV commercials celebrating the Expedition or Tahoe in the great outdoors, which—many would argue—they inherently assault.

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