ACP Platform Principles Quick Summary

These are in no order of importance please check out our full platform for more specific details on the ACP’s entire platform. This issue is so complex and important it is fully contained in this summary in its totality.

** The ACP is currently in the process of our members voting on expanding and fine tuning this policy, more details will be made as they come available. For any questions please contact chair@americancentristparty.net**

Energy and the Environment- Renewable, Sustainable, Secure, and Clean. The time for empty rhetoric is over. The time for solutions is now.

The American Centrist Party knows that the most crucial issue today is the future of American energy policy. It is the most crucial issue because it is an economic issue, environmental issue and foreign policy issue. Our economy has been based on cheap oil. Those days are gone. We are currently strangling ourselves with the belt that keeps our economic engine going. That belt is our addiction to oil. Make no mistake those who would see America be brought down now that our weakness is oil since it drives our economy. By tying relying on foreign sources of energy we are actively promoting a key strategic weakness and those who would bring America down know this. Solving our Energy and Environmental Crisis is going to hurt but we must adapt and overcome as we have done so brilliantly in the past.

Energy and the Environment: We cannot have one without the other and we cannot get our energy without impacting our environment. No one in America wants to go to war for energy and resources which is almost guaranteed for America sometime in the 21^st century, given human history of battling for resources and current political situations. What is the answer? The ultimate answer is to strike as best a balance that we can until we can develop economically viable energy alternatives for mass consumption. Will our way of living change before that happens, probably yes, but we must adapt to the realities of our world and our situations. Humanity has done that throughout its history and now is no different. In order to develop energy independence we must embark upon a mission as a nation united in this purpose to develop energy and protect our environment. Only a movement similar to the magnitude of the Space Race in the 1960’s can we accomplish this. Energy Independence and Environmental Protection must be accomplished, no excuses. Americans have and will face difficult tasks in our history. We have overcome many with amazing efficiency and innovation. We will overcome this issue together we must accept no excuses.

This issue is one of the most complex issues that America has ever faced. It will take years for our infrastructure, economy and life styles to change to protect our environment and adapt to new forms of energy. Our ultimate goal must be for America to be energy independent and that energy to be renewable and as clean for the environment as possible. This issue must be approached in phases and all of the following phases must begin NOW AND AT THE SAME TIME. We can achieve complete energy independence by the 2025-2030 time frames, but we must start now and it must be intense. Thus the American Centrist Supports the First Step Plan:

First Step Plan: All of the following is first steps we must take and they must all be prioritized and taken at the same time.

1. Increase the amount of energy America gets from American natural resources such as natural gas, clean coal, wind, solar, cellulose ethanol, geothermal, water, coal, and oil. Our nation is still based mainly on oil, but over time we can decrease that and take more pieces of our energy pie away from oil. The first step to doing this and to energy independence needs to be replacing foreign oil with energy from America.

2. The second first step must be decrease emissions and improve fuel economy standards. Reform our infrastructure to use alternative energy we have already in the works. Every American must be able to use alternative energy to make a difference.

3. The final third step is to every year phase out more and more of our reliance on oil and fossil fuels and replace that with renewable energy. Reform our infrastructure to use the renewable energy we have developed by 2025 and in the future.

The ACP also supports:

1. The ACP supports the initiative to have 33 % of US energy usage to be from renewables by 2015.

2. 33% of all fuel and material produced or consumed to make energy must be Renewable by 2015.

3. There will no be no more tax incentives or grants to be made available for any company or individual for the purpose of mining, importing or other activities relating to the development of petroleum based fuels.

4. Allow companies to drill for oil in the Alaskan Wild Life Reserves and open up US coasts to offshore drilling. However they must do so with minimal damage to the environment and will be regularly inspected by the EPA, which will set the environmental protection standards and regulations for drilling.

a. Any oil drilled from US coastal waters or U.S. states or territory will go into a US Oil Program and it will ONLY be made available to US Oil Companies for sale and use in the United States and its territories.

5. Remove all Import Taxes on all alternative fuels and energy producing equipment for private use.

6. by 2015: -All cars must have a fuel economy of at least 30 mpg.
-All light duty (and/or half ton) trucks must have a fuel economy of at least 20 mpg.
-All heavy duty and commercial vehicles will be determined by class.

7. A. $50 billion in grants and loans every year until 2020 is to be allocated for the purpose of research and development for alternative fuels that amount to decrease by $5 billion every year until 2020.

8. $150 billion in grants and loans is to be allocated for the sole purpose of to companies building Alternative Fuel Factories/ Distilleries in the United States per year until 2020.

9. $5 billion to be spent by the government promoting the use of alternative fuels and environmental awareness and care per year until 2020.

10. $0.10 (10 cents) per gallon tax incentive to alternative fuel domestic producer who make at least: 5 million gallons per year of biodiesel and/ or 10 million barrels per year of ethanol or hydrogen.

11. 0.15 (15 cents) per gallon tax incentive for consumers who use at least a 20% blend of alternative fuels or 100% hydrogen

12. Alternative Fuel Tax Axe until 2020. (For example 20% ethanol blend= 20% reduced tax)

13. Self Production Energy Equipment Tax Incentive for 100% of cost until 2020.

14. 50% grant to cities and states that create public transportation programs using alternative fuels.

15. Increase tax incentive for hybrid and alternative fuel vehicles to $2,500

16. Congress is to set a goal to pass phase two of this program by 2015.
(Phase 2 is complete energy independence and 0 emission regulations)

17. Increased Emission Standards to meet the threat of Global Warming for all:
- Production and Manufacturing Facilities on any kind by: 2010
- Vehicles by 2012

Environment-

1. Expansion of tax incentives on hybrids from the first 60,000 vehicles sold each year to the first 250,000 each year.

2. Reduction on tax breaks to "old energy" such as oil. This money saved would be put towards educational grants for students interested in alternative energy research and ethanol, biodiesel and alternative fuel research.

3. Review of the Kyoto treaty and if it is not in America's best interest economically and environmentally to sign then work on a new America only pact to reduce emissions.

4. Support for a newly created UN Council on the Environment complete with monitoring and economic sanction powers.

5. Amend Clear Skies initiative to have reduced Mercury and Coal Plant Emissions by 2012 instead of 2018.

6. Stricter restrictions on logging on federal land.

7. Expansion of domestic oil drilling and refining.

8. Take 3 cents from the federal gas tax into a fund to promote alternative fuel research and development.

9. Low cost loans for companies interested in development of wind power in the Great Plains region of United States.

10. Federal emissions standards for all vehicles with model year beginning in 2008