Things are really picking up steam with the legislation Boone Pickens has introduced to provide tax breaks for natural gas-powered vehicles. The legislation, known as “The Pickens Bill,” has excellent bi-partisan support and a great chance to actually come up for a vote in the House by mid-May.

The bill currently has 178 co-sponsors, and Boone expects to have over 200 shortly. He is also confident the bill will be passed by the House and Senate and voted into law by President Obama by the end of this year.

The ramifications of the Pickens Bill being passed are monumental, for several reasons.

First, if enacted, the bill has the potential to reduce our use of OPEC oil tremendously. This in itself has a tremendous positive impact on our national security interests in the Middle East. Right now, American soldiers are being killed and wounded in part, by our dependence on OPEC and Middle East Oil.

Secondly, the transfer of wealth from the U.S. to the Middle East to quench our thirst for their oil is insane. Domestic production of natural gas to fuel our truck fleets puts the money, the economic potential and all of its advantages back in the U.S.

And most importantly, in my own opinion, the passage of the Pickens Bill marks the beginning of not only a energy policy for the U.S., but represents the first step in eventually having the U.S. and the rest of the world using totally green, sustainable energy sources like wind, solar, hydrogen and other cutting-edge technologies.

This cannot be understated. We have to start somewhere. Even though natural gas is a fossil fuel, it is much cleaner and environmentally friendly than using oil. In the bigger picture, natural gas is a bridge fuel that will get us off of foreign oil (and oil period), until the economic feasibility of the greener energy sources begin to emerge.

This may seem like a baby step, but I assure you it is huge! The Pickens Bill will mark the first time the U.S. actually has had any type of comprehensive energy policy. As Boone points out, we have more natural gas resources in the U.S., that OPEC has oil resources in the Middle East.

Again, I want to encourage all FLW members to spread the word about supporting the Natural Gas Act, and the Pickens Bill. The benefits over the long term will no doubt help the environmental and economic sustainability of the U.S. and the rest of the world.

Thanks, and good fishing!

Randy Blaukat