Unfortunately, this has the unintended consequence of focusing the nation’s energy policy debate down the path of finding an “all of the above” energy solution, which heavily depends on domestic oil, natural gas, and increased coal production. Substantial reliance on fossil fuels only benefits the scarcity model where a small fraction of American society profits, rather than celebrating the abundance model of renewable energy where we can all participate. The current policy frame just delays the inevitability of energy insecurity for the rest of us. We need to expand the debate of energy security to a renewable energy policy that welcomes the participation of all communities, especially in communities of color where the energy burden remains heaviest.
Energy security is more than oil imports. Energy security means that energy costs will not force families to choose between food or clothing; it means that residents can breath clean air and drink clean water without fear of pollutants and contamination from our energy sources; and it means that communities are building economic opportunity by investing in clean energy jobs.
When looking through this lends, it’s clear that our security is threatened. First, energy costs are forcing families to cut back on basic needs. Experts point to an impending rise in commodity prices this summer – impacting the costs of essentials: food, clothing, and energy. We have already witnessed such increases. Compared to ten years ago, average gas prices are at $3.59 per gallon, a 70% increase; home heating oil prices have doubled; and the cost of coal has increased by 60%. As the current purchasing power of a families’ income has remained relatively unchanged during this time, the increased costs are putting more constraints on the family budget. Meanwhile, this energy burden is even heavier on families of color who actually face decreasing purchasing power and higher percentages of energy spending, compared to white families.
Secondly, while many argue over the ideas of climate change, there is indisputable evidence that our energy consumption and production has greatly impacted the environment and devastated the health of communities that live near energy plants. Over half of the population lives within 30 miles of a fossil fuel burning power plant, within range of impacting air quality. 1 in 2 Whites are impacted by poorer air quality, but 3 in 4 Blacks, and 4 in 5 Latinos face the same dilemma. Research has shown that this disparity has taken its toll on the health of a community, particularly in causing asthma in children. No matter what side of the climate change fence you sit, we can all agree that our children need to benefit from cleaner air and water. We can do this by investing in community renewable energy and limiting the reliance of communities on burning coal or oil.
Lastly, true energy security can be met only when communities can participate in the renewable energy economy and create long-term jobs. The Administration has promoted investment in energy efficiency and renewable energy projects through grants and tax credits, yet these opportunities often left out many low-income communities and communities of color due, mostly, to the inability for these communities to access the capital necessary.
Our recommendation to start: reframe the debate. We need to be talking about energy security as more than importing oil; instead about family economics, health, and community opportunity. Only when we reach the point where rural and farm communities are able to form cooperatives to create wind and biofuel farms, and urban and suburban communities can create solar networks or use Churches and schools as a basis for district energy, then we will begin to see true energy security.
Last year, the Center for Social Inclusion released a report Energy Democracy, which calls upon our lawmakers to invest community-renewable policies that are accessible and affordable to all communities, particularly those most insecure. Because solving problems for those most impacted guarantees a more sustainable future for all of us– White, Black, Latino, Asian, and Native American. In the coming months, CSI will be follow-up that call through case studies that provide insights and recommendations for Congress to ensure that no community is prohibited from participating in the future’s energy economy.
Anthony is currently a researcher at the Center for Social Inclusion. He graduated from the NYU Wagner School for Public Service with a Masters in Public Administration, specializing in policy analysis. Anthony’s interests and studies have focused on participatory policymaking strategies at the neighborhood level in urban communities of color. As a graduate student, Anthony worked as a research assistant at the Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy, where he provided various research and GIS support for projects including theState of the City Report 2010.
