State of the Union Addresses of Barack Obama, 2009-2016Obama, Barack
General
State of the Union Addresses of Barack Obama, 2009-2016
Obama, Barack
Presidents -- United States -- Messages; United States -- Politics and government -- Sources
But with only 2 percent of the world's oil reserves, oil isn't enough.
This country needs an all-out, all-of-the-above strategy that develops
every available source of American energy, a strategy that's cleaner,
cheaper, and full of new jobs.
We have a supply of natural gas that can last America nearly 100 years.
And my administration will take every possible action to safely develop
this energy. Experts believe this will support more than 600,000 jobs
by the end of the decade. And I'm requiring all companies that drill
for gas on public lands to disclose the chemicals they use. Because
America will develop this resource without putting the health and
safety of our citizens at risk.
The development of natural gas will create jobs and power trucks and
factories that are cleaner and cheaper, proving that we don't have to
choose between our environment and our economy. And by the way, it was
public research dollars, over the course of 30 years, that helped
develop the technologies to extract all this natural gas out of shale
rock, reminding us that Government support is critical in helping
businesses get new energy ideas off the ground.
Now, what's true for natural gas is just as true for clean energy. In 3
years, our partnership with the private sector has already positioned
America to be the world's leading manufacturer of high-tech batteries.
Because of Federal investments, renewable energy use has nearly doubled,
and thousands of Americans have jobs because of it.
When Bryan Ritterby was laid off from his job making furniture, he said
he worried that at 55 no one would give him a second chance. But he
found work at Energetx, a wind turbine manufacturer in Michigan. Before
the recession, the factory only made luxury yachts. Today, it's hiring
workers like Bryan, who said, "I'm proud to be working in the industry
of the future."
Our experience with shale gas, our experience with natural gas, shows
us that the payoffs on these public investments don't always come right
away. Some technologies don't pan out, some companies fail. But I will
not walk away from the promise of clean energy. I will not walk away
from workers like Bryan. I will not cede the wind or solar or battery
industry to China or Germany because we refuse to make the same
commitment here.
We've subsidized oil companies for a century. That's long enough. It's
time to end the taxpayer giveaways to an industry that rarely has been
more profitable and double down on a clean energy industry that never
has been more promising. Pass clean energy tax credits. Create these
jobs.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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