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Debate continues to rage on in Washington, DC about how to answer rising gas prices, and at today's press conference President Obama addressed the issue.
The president nails it when he talks about the need to move away from oil, but his interest in expanding domestic drilling only serves as an impediment in moving America off of oil. All of our energy should be spent developing alternatives to oil and other fossil fuels.
Read on for Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune's response to President Obama:
Sierra Club: Focus Needs to Be on Clean Energy Jobs, Ending Oil Addiction
Washington, DC - The Sierra Club's executive director Michael Brune released the following statement today regarding President Obama's press conference on concerns about rising oil prices.
"The Sierra Club applauds President Obama's renewed commitment to move beyond oil swiftly and to pursue clean energy sources in the immediate term.
Toward this goal, President Obama should build upon his first initiative and set the most stringent fuel efficiency and pollution standards possible for our nation's cars and trucks - at least 60 miles per gallon by 2025 - and with rising gas prices in mind, continue to advocate for one million electric vehicles on the road by 2015. We must pursue a comprehensive transportation policy that provides choices to Americans, including smart investments in public transit to reduce our dependence on oil.
The only real way to ensure that rising gas prices don't continue to hurt American families is to start reducing our dependence on oil now, and President Obama's interest in continued and expanded drilling is neither a responsible short term nor long-term plan. Drilling doesn't lower gas prices - it only makes us more dependent on hostile foreign nations and puts us at risk for more disasters like the one in the Gulf last year.
Transportation solutions, from vehicle standards to high-speed rail, combined with clean energy solutions like wind and solar will lead to real energy independence, create good jobs here at home and safeguard Americans' health against the biggest polluters.
To help families with their pain at the pump, we need the President and our nation's leaders to confront the real villain - Big Oil."
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