EXCLUSIVE – MO AG Eric Schmitt Blames Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm for skyrocketing diesel prices

Missouri Attorney-General Eric Schmitt doesn’t hesitate to take on the Biden Administration, and their harmful policies. The administration’s attempts to evade the Trump Era Remains in Mexico policy and vaccine mandates have been the subject of Schmitt’s legal battles. Schmitt also challenged the administration regarding the “Disinformation Governance board ” proposal.

If the Biden Administration continues its violation of our freedom of speech rights under false pretext of “disinformation,” I will stand up for the Missouri citizens and fight government overreach at every turn. Our Republic’s future is in jeopardy. pic.twitter.com/W5fNFaXoIj

— Eric Schmitt (@Eric_Schmitt) April 29, 2022

On Tuesday Schmitt again targeted the administration and raised alarm about the rising price of diesel fuel.

In an email addressed to Jennifer Granholm (U.S. Department of Energy Secretary), Schmitt described the history of diesel prices and the adverse effects that the policies of the Biden administration had on them.

Let us review, the primary driver of these increasing costs has been the decrease in supply of diesel caused by a reduction in the amount of oil being refined into diesel. The constant attacks on fossil fuels by Washington D.C.’s Department of Energy and Biden Administration’s Department of Energy are the reason for this reduction in oil refining into diesel. The Administration just announced that it would allow oil leasing in the Gulf of Mexico, but not in other areas. This represents a significant shift away from the President Trump plan to make America energy independent.

With the rise of “clean energy” and tougher emissions standards, as well as a mountain of regulatory requirements on oil refineries, it is becoming increasingly difficult for oil companies to maintain their refineries. The United States continues to see a decline in refinery capacity and levels. U.S. refineries now produce fewer than 18 million barrels per day, down more than one million barrels since the start of the COVID pandemic. By comparison, though, China is becoming the leading oil refiner in the world by continuing to increase their refining capacities – refining as many as 20 million barrels of oil per day by 2025.

Not only have diesel prices risen due to a decrease in supply, but America is also at risk. The reduction in diesel fuel supply has reached the point that a single hurricane can cause a shortage of diesel fuel, which could lead to a slowdown in economic growth. Farmers who don’t have enough fuel will be unable to transport their crops or livestock to the market. This could lead to a shortage of food. Truckers cannot transport an incalculable number of goods across the nation if they don’t have enough fuel. Although the policies of the Biden Administration created problems in the supply chain, a diesel shortage may cause the entire supply chain to stop.

To add insult to injury the Department of Energy’s plans to convert diesel-powered machinery to electrical-powered are a fantasy due to the state of electrification and battery technology. An August 2021 article from the Energy News Network explains this clearly: “Modern agriculture depends on a fleet of heavy-duty vehicles and machinery, from pickup trucks and small utility vehicles to massive tractors and combines that can weigh from a few tons up to as much as 15 tons, plus attachments. All that weight, along with dawn-to-dusk workdays and multiple worksites, adds to the challenges of electrification.”

Schmitt also highlighted the dangers this poses to economic stability in Missouri as well as across the nation.

You see, the price of diesel “out here” matters. Diesel fuel is essential for the operation of American commerce, both nationally and locally. The vast majority of agricultural machinery uses diesel fuel. For tilling, diesel is required. For planting crops, diesel is required. To harvest the crop, diesel is required. To feed the livestock, diesel is required. To irrigate fields, diesel is required. Missouri supplies soybeans, beef, cows, cotton, grain, rice, wheat and potatoes as well as many other products to our nation. Missouri has one of the largest agricultural areas in the country. Each of these items has been more costly to make due to the rise in diesel prices. This is not counting the truckers that transport them to the market.

…

Inflation is on the rise due to the unsustainable and unbearable cost of diesel fuel. Diesel fuel costs more food. Trucking companies have imposed fuel surcharges to their customers in order to transport goods between states due the high cost of diesel fuel. Because diesel fuel is more expensive, truck drivers are less likely to drive loads. With a decrease in available truck drivers, shipping costs rise even further – however it all comes down to the increasing price of diesel. Inflation is being driven by diesel costs.

To suggest that heavy-duty farmers should just buy electric equipment and vehicles is absurd. This is a total lack of knowledge about how America really works. Batteries provide only 15% of the energy as diesel, so batteries would have to be charged numerous times throughout the day as farmers work their fields or as truckers traverse the nation. Every time your batteries need to be charged, it’s time that’s wasted and money.

Will the administration heed these warnings. They have not indicated that they will. They seem determined to pursue destructive energy policies, much to the nation’s dismay.

The full text can be found here:

2022.7.5.Ltr.dept of Energy by Susie Moore on Scribd

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