Needed: A Manhattan Project For Energy

Abstract

The security and economy of the nations of the world literally
floats on oil. No other single resource has as much impact. Japan
bombed Pearl Harbor to destroy our fleet, which could have blocked
their oil imports from Indonesia. During WW II we had a strategic
plan to take over the Middle East’s oil, if necessary. In 1973, because
of our support of Israel, OPEC, which had just taken control of its
own resources, instigated an oil embargo against the United States.
In 1979, there was a perceived five percent shortage of the produc-
tion of oil. Oil companies panicked and started purchasing and filling
every empty tank on land and sea. The price per barrel of oil nearly
doubled overnight—with just a five percent oil shortage. The recent
hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico damaged both supply and refining
capacity, sending gasoline prices soaring.
We put both blame and expectations on our elected officials to
solve the security and economic problems caused by these interrup-
tions. The solutions, however, are the most complex of any to face
our nation. The Department of Energy has been effective, but its ef-
forts have been fragmented as far as a long-range strategic plan is
concerned. It has failed so far to develop a nuclear waste depository,
which it was assigned to do in the 90s, and is necessary for further
development of nuclear power plants. National energy policies de-
veloped by previous administrations do not provide comprehensive
long-range strategies for energy security. Political and environmental
issues have dominated. It is too much to expect elected officials alone
to have the necessary skills to develop and implement a strategic plan
that has so many economic, political, and technical components. But
we are now at a point in history where we need to draw a hard line
and make tough decisions.