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Our dependence on fossil fuels is a nationalsecurity threat for two primary reasons.1. Importing vast quantities of oil necessitatesstability in oil-producing countries, and thisstability can only be maintained with a strongAmerican military presence in those countries.2. Without proper action to mitigate climatechange, the world could see conflict resultingfrom the displacement of people, disruption ofagriculture, and the spread of disease.“If we’re going to get our energyindependence, if we’re going to dealwith climate change, if we’re going towork harmoniously with developingpowers in Asia, we have to get our ownhouse in order.”General Clark offered three solutions.1. Raise the 10% cap on ethanol blending to helpreduce oil imports.2. Open the financial markets with incentives andregulations.3. Help enable small investors, entrepreneurs, andlocal communities to develop distributed windand solar energy projects.General Clark said that biofuels are crucial if weare to reduce our consumption on foreign oil inany meaningful way. Vehicle electrificationoffers a feasible long-term option for cleantransportation, but only when we are able toproduce significant amounts of electricity fromclean energy resources. Before this is apossibility, we need to build new transmissionlines and other infrastructure. Biofuel, on theother hand, provides a near-term solution.“It’s a national security issue. It’s aglobal issue. The government is goingto help us, but we’re in charge. This isa private enterprise operation. We haveto articulate our needs, and we have tobring the technology, the investors, andthe landowners and developerstogether to do this. It’s the only wayit’s going to get done, and we’re theones who are going to do it.”“What we should be hoping for is toreplace imported petroleum withbiofuels that are environmentallyfriendly, and leading us into an era ofgreater reliance on electrictransportation and electric power,commensurate with our ability to createrenewable and sustainable electricpower, as opposed to drawing on oursources that contribute to globalwarming problems.”American Council On Renewable EnergyExecutive Summary Report 13