Outgoing Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz says the U.S. is in an “extraordinarily well-placed position” to achieve energy independence. In a wide-ranging interview with NPR’s Rachel Martin, Moniz highlighted that America is now the world’s leading producer of oil and natural gas and continues to make significant gains in renewable energy development.
“I do want to caution – we are not at the point where we produce as much energy as we use, so we still do have some oil imports,” Moniz said. “But we may reach that point in the next decade some time.”
The U.S. has made tremendous advances in domestic energy production that allow for the safe, efficient recovery of oil and gas resources. This modern day energy renaissance has also resulted in the need for critical upgrades to the infrastructure that transports these resources around the country. That is why projects like the Dakota Access Pipeline are so critical to establishing and maintaining energy independence.