Access is limited or non-existent. Resources in the form of untouchable reserves are not really resources at all. We can pick that fruit if we re allowed to, and not hurt the tree. Today's high prices may help create the broad public support we need to do it. And we don t just need more supply, we need a diversity of supply.
Natural gas is the fuel of choice for electricity generation.
If it had stayed colder, longer, last winter we could have had a real problem in the Northeast. The politicians would have had an interesting time trying to decide whether to use a limited supply of gas in generating plants so the citizens could have lights, but cold houses, or for heating so people could have warm, but dark houses. Gas is in short supply, therefore expensive. Things are going to get worse unless the government opens more property for drilling and lets generators build something besides gas-fired generating units. If we have a real hot summer things could get a bit dicey in the West and in the North East.