I am in total agreement with Senator McCain’s energy plan to promote drilling for oil off the shores of the U.S. There are numerous oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico and in off-shore waters around the world that have not caused environmental problems. It is estimated we have over 20 billion barrels of oil reserves off our coastlines, and at least another 30 billion barrels of untapped oil reserves in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge, and the oil companies say it is light, sweet crude, which is low in sulfur and easy to refine into gasoline.

The U.S. needs a comprehensive long-term and short-term energy program which will free us from foreign oil, reduce dependence on oil and promote cleaning up the environment. Long term we need to increase domestic oil production; increase domestic refining capacity; build nuclear power plants and develop technology to recycle nuclear waste; and expand mass transit systems. In the short term we should continue to reduce gasoline consumption by driving smaller cars, buying Flex Fuel cars, driving less, car pooling and utilizing existing mass transit systems; conserving energy; and installing solar power and wind power systems.

Barack Obama and his cronies oppose offshore and Alaska oil drilling and are down playing nuclear power. They continue to have their heads stuck in the oil sands of the Middle East, and their policies will ensure we continue to pay high gasoline and fuel oil prices.

Donald A. Moskowitz

Londonderry, N.H.