DFL candidate Ashwin Madia outlines plan to wean U.S. off foreign oil

DFL Third District Congressional candidate Ashwin Madia today outlined his plan to wean the United States off foreign oil.

Madia wants to eliminate $14 billion in tax breaks for oil companies and spend the money to research and encourage the use of alternative energy. Madia also wants to increase federal oversight of the oil futures market because he says speculators are driving up the price of oil.

Like his Republican opponent, Erik Paulsen, Madia opposes drilling for oil in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Madia says he supports increased domestic oil exploration, but only if it doesn't harm the environment.

"What I am not for is giving oil companies unlimited, unfettered and unchecked access and authority to drill on federally protected lands without any oversight whatsoever," Madia said.

Madia says he wants to force oil companies that already have oil leases on federal land to either drill or surrender the leases.

Madia spoke about his energy policy at the headquarters of QBP, a bicycle parts distributor in Bloomington. The company's recently expanded warehouse is partially powered by solar panels.

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