Mark Udall: The future is energy
Chavez comments underscore need for energy independence
EAGLE COUNTY - "Not helpful" was U.S. Rep. Mark Udall's take on the president of Venezuela's comment that George Bush is "the devil" last week.
More to the point, Udall said, the kind of wacky rhetoric we hear from the likes of Hugo Chavez is a perfect example of why the U.S. needs to pursue alternative energy sources.
"He's an example of these petrocrats who are not great supporters of our values and who are not true leaders in the world," Udall said. "Venezuela is the Western Hemisphere equivalent of the Saudis or the Russians."
By developing alternate sources of energy and pursuing ways to reduce energy consumption, Udall said we can move past our dependence on the Venezuelas and Saudi Arabias of the world, but it will take "different leadership" to do so.
Udall, who represents Colorado in the second congressional district - which includes Eagle County - was in town last week to speak at an energy conference in Beaver Creek. It's election season, and the congressman has been trying to act as if he's in a real race, although the reality is that the Republican challenger, Rich Mancuso, is a long shot at best. Udall was not challenged in the Democratic primary, either.
"It's nice to be in that position, where the voters have that kind of confidence in me," Udall said.
There may still be a long way to go, but Udall, like many Democrats, is hopeful that at least one house of Congress will go to his party come November. With a little more leverage in Washington, he said, tackling things like the nation's energy problems seems a bit more doable.
"It's crucial for us to win a house in Congress," Udall said, homing in again on the energy question. "Many of us have been talking about this since 2000, and with more vigor after 9/11. But we've gotten snared in this war in Iraq. I've got my own set of bills to promote renewable technologies ... but this administration and Congress is not giving us a chance to vote."
Division of power works in Colorado, Udall said, pointing to the Democrat-led state Legislature working with a Republican governor. In Washington, he said the Democrats are ready to share power and govern.
"Democracy operates best when there's a wide-ranging set of ideas and points of view," he said. "Congress has really been dominated by that one point of view, and the country is saying we want to hear other voices on how to make progress in Iraq, the deficit ... to make investments in the American people.
More to the point, Udall said, the kind of wacky rhetoric we hear from the likes of Hugo Chavez is a perfect example of why the U.S. needs to pursue alternative energy sources.
"He's an example of these petrocrats who are not great supporters of our values and who are not true leaders in the world," Udall said. "Venezuela is the Western Hemisphere equivalent of the Saudis or the Russians."
By developing alternate sources of energy and pursuing ways to reduce energy consumption, Udall said we can move past our dependence on the Venezuelas and Saudi Arabias of the world, but it will take "different leadership" to do so.
Udall, who represents Colorado in the second congressional district - which includes Eagle County - was in town last week to speak at an energy conference in Beaver Creek. It's election season, and the congressman has been trying to act as if he's in a real race, although the reality is that the Republican challenger, Rich Mancuso, is a long shot at best. Udall was not challenged in the Democratic primary, either.
"It's nice to be in that position, where the voters have that kind of confidence in me," Udall said.
There may still be a long way to go, but Udall, like many Democrats, is hopeful that at least one house of Congress will go to his party come November. With a little more leverage in Washington, he said, tackling things like the nation's energy problems seems a bit more doable.
"It's crucial for us to win a house in Congress," Udall said, homing in again on the energy question. "Many of us have been talking about this since 2000, and with more vigor after 9/11. But we've gotten snared in this war in Iraq. I've got my own set of bills to promote renewable technologies ... but this administration and Congress is not giving us a chance to vote."
Division of power works in Colorado, Udall said, pointing to the Democrat-led state Legislature working with a Republican governor. In Washington, he said the Democrats are ready to share power and govern.
"Democracy operates best when there's a wide-ranging set of ideas and points of view," he said. "Congress has really been dominated by that one point of view, and the country is saying we want to hear other voices on how to make progress in Iraq, the deficit ... to make investments in the American people.
Bark beetles
Udall, 56, is serving his fourth term in Congress and is a likely candidate to run for U.S. Senate in 2008. For now, though, he said he's focusing on solving problems important to his district.
With the plague of mountain pine beetles devastating local forests, Udall acknowledged that there's only so much the government can do given the vast number of trees affected.
"What can be done is to enhance and expand defensible space projects," he said, referring to efforts in the Vail area, among others, to remove dead trees, encourage growth of aspen and reduce the load of fuels on the forest floor.
"We've introduced legislation that would take the resources available and put them to use thinning the forest rather than producing more studies and lawsuits," Udall said.
Another area where the government can help, he said, is smoothing interactions between private landowners and state and federal government agencies, as well as helping smaller communities finish their own wildfire plans.
Opening up the market for beetle-killed trees is another way to help reduce fuel buildup, he said.
"We can free up the private sector to do more and offer incentives for new kinds of small businesses to take this small-diameter material for biomass, wood pellets, ethanol," he said. "I'm optimistic, but things don't happen overnight. Still, it's the center of my efforts in Grand, Summit and Eagle counties."
With the plague of mountain pine beetles devastating local forests, Udall acknowledged that there's only so much the government can do given the vast number of trees affected.
"What can be done is to enhance and expand defensible space projects," he said, referring to efforts in the Vail area, among others, to remove dead trees, encourage growth of aspen and reduce the load of fuels on the forest floor.
"We've introduced legislation that would take the resources available and put them to use thinning the forest rather than producing more studies and lawsuits," Udall said.
Another area where the government can help, he said, is smoothing interactions between private landowners and state and federal government agencies, as well as helping smaller communities finish their own wildfire plans.
Opening up the market for beetle-killed trees is another way to help reduce fuel buildup, he said.
"We can free up the private sector to do more and offer incentives for new kinds of small businesses to take this small-diameter material for biomass, wood pellets, ethanol," he said. "I'm optimistic, but things don't happen overnight. Still, it's the center of my efforts in Grand, Summit and Eagle counties."
Transportation
Udall said he's been disappointed at the progress made by the Colorado Department of Transportation so far on solutions to the congestion problems on Interstate 70. He's hoping to work more with the I-70 Coalition in the coming year.
"CDOT didn't keep every alternative on the table, especially mass transit," Udall said. "We have to be really creative and think long-term - like 50, 100 years out."
Being creative, he said, means looking at what's been done in other places.
"I'm looking at what the Swiss, the French and the Italians have done with increased density and tourism," he said. "We also need to see what we can do in upgrading the Eagle airport capacity in both the number of passengers and the hours the airport operates. If you think about taking a few hundred people off I-70 on Sunday nights, that's not insignificant."
Some smaller things can help ease the I-70 crunch as well, Udall said, including improved passing lanes, real-time signs and more pullouts.
"The new governor will be hearing from me that this has got to be the focus of consensus building," he said. "We can't drive the solution down the throats of the people in the corridor."
"CDOT didn't keep every alternative on the table, especially mass transit," Udall said. "We have to be really creative and think long-term - like 50, 100 years out."
Being creative, he said, means looking at what's been done in other places.
"I'm looking at what the Swiss, the French and the Italians have done with increased density and tourism," he said. "We also need to see what we can do in upgrading the Eagle airport capacity in both the number of passengers and the hours the airport operates. If you think about taking a few hundred people off I-70 on Sunday nights, that's not insignificant."
Some smaller things can help ease the I-70 crunch as well, Udall said, including improved passing lanes, real-time signs and more pullouts.
"The new governor will be hearing from me that this has got to be the focus of consensus building," he said. "We can't drive the solution down the throats of the people in the corridor."
Energy
Ultimately, much of what Udall sees as the future of the nation and the state boils down to energy. Colorado, he said, can play an enormous role.
"It could be the Saudi Arabia of wind and solar and biomass," he said. "It's exciting: There's money to be made, environmental benefits, national security to be advanced ... it's win-win-win. We just need more leadership to advance it."
Udall said he sees a refocusing of energy priorities as what the country ought to be doing, with focus on conservation being a big part of the equation.
"The cheapest oil or coal is the stuff you don't burn," he said. "I think that message appeals to the American spirit of frugality. Compare that to the need for stationing troops overseas."
Democrats, he said, are very focused on that message of energy independence, and he said we can expect to hear a lot more of it as the election nears. But will it be enough to turn one or both houses of Congress over to what's now the minority party?
"It's not a given," Udall said. "The American people have to be convinced they can turn the keys over to the Democrats."
Alex Miller can be reached at 748-2931, or amiller@vaildaily.com.
Vail Daily, Vail, Colorado
"It could be the Saudi Arabia of wind and solar and biomass," he said. "It's exciting: There's money to be made, environmental benefits, national security to be advanced ... it's win-win-win. We just need more leadership to advance it."
Udall said he sees a refocusing of energy priorities as what the country ought to be doing, with focus on conservation being a big part of the equation.
"The cheapest oil or coal is the stuff you don't burn," he said. "I think that message appeals to the American spirit of frugality. Compare that to the need for stationing troops overseas."
Democrats, he said, are very focused on that message of energy independence, and he said we can expect to hear a lot more of it as the election nears. But will it be enough to turn one or both houses of Congress over to what's now the minority party?
"It's not a given," Udall said. "The American people have to be convinced they can turn the keys over to the Democrats."
Alex Miller can be reached at 748-2931, or amiller@vaildaily.com.
Vail Daily, Vail, Colorado
