MNN - Mother Nature Network

President-Elect Barack Obama has chosen retired Marine Corps General James L. Jones to be his national security advisor. Jones currently runs the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for 21st Century Energy, which believes in the power of "clean" coal, nuclear energy, and expanded domestic drilling of oil and natural gas. Jones' Institute doesn't believe Congress should regulate greenhouse gases and in general has a vision in direct opposition to Obama's stated policy on energy and climate change.

 

The Institute's recently released Transition Plan for Securing America's Energy Future (PDF) has a 13 point list of recommendations to President Elect Obama. A few are great steps we need to take- increase efficiency, boost spending on Renewable Energy, and modernize our energy infrastructure, but others send up big bright red warning flags.

 

They want to immediately expand domestic drilling, including on the outer continental shelf. They want to expand the use of nuclear energy and "clean" coal, and reduce "overly burdensome regulations and opportunities for frivolous litigation". It kind of sounds like something we'd hear from the Bush Administration- throw in a line or two about renewable energy and plow on forward with drilling, nuclear, clean coal, and deregulation.

 

And now the guy responsible for the whole thing will be Obama's right hand man on all matters national security. There's a scary thought.