With the Republican primary election cycle in full swing, SAFE has published an Intelligence Report highlighting the details from each of the remaining six Republican participants’ energy platforms. A near consensus exists among the candidates to increase domestic oil and gas production via a combination of unconventional drilling and new access on federal lands and waters. The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) powers to regulate energy production come under near universal attack by all of the candidates, as does many of the current subsidy programs for renewable energy technologies.

The candidates’ energy policy consensus breaks down over tax breaks for oil and gas producers and whether to just restructure, or flat out eliminate the EPA. The Iowa Caucuses on Jan. 3 saw Mitt Romney defeat surprise second-place finisher Rick Santorum by a mere eight votes and follow up primaries in New Hampshire on Jan. 10, South Carolina on Jan. 21, and Florida on Jan. 31 will have a disproportionate influence on the outcome of the Republican nomination.

Regardless of who is the Republican nominee may be, the contrast between the Republican energy platform coming out of its Tampa, Florida convention in August and the energy/environmental policies of President Barack Obama as he runs for re-election could not be starker, making the November 6^th general election one for the ages in terms of the future direction for U.S. energy policy.

Click here to read the full report.

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