Evaluating the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007: Inclusions, Exclusions, and Problems with Implementation
Editors' Summary: The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 is a grab bag of loosely related provisions that touches many well-known areas of energy consumption and conservation, including energy-saving light bulbs, increased gas mileage requirements for automobiles, and increases in ethanol production. This Article focuses on three provisions of the Act that were not scrutinized by mainstream media or legal scholarship, though they have very serious implications: renewable fuel infrastructure grants, geopower from oil and gas fields, and amortization of geopower expenditures for oil companies. In addition, this Article analyzes three provisions that were either deleted from the Act or never proposed, also raising serious implications. The future of energy legislation is also considered. Fundamentally, the Act represents a missed opportunity to create a landmark in achieving wise, substantive progress in energy security and independence, as opposed to mere dabbling and rent-seeking.