BLM LIBHAHY 88063388 He^ri America's Future The Role of the U.S. Department of the Interior * . .- - -A?4S5* ^ .:* W * #„ .!! - '^3ft HD 9502 .U52 A647 2004 c.3 Introduction uo2 HMP. The way oflife that we Americans take for granted world. It is vital to our national economic and 5 every day depends upon a stable and abundant military security. supply ofaffordable energy. Energy shortages can quickly affect our everyday lives and harm As the American economy has grown, so has our our national economy. No other factor, short ofa demand for energy. Our energy use increased nearly terrorist attack or a major war, can affect our lives 20 percent during the economic boom ofthe 1990s. as pervasively and as quickly as an energy crisis. In 2002, Americans consumed nearly 98 quadrillion Btus ofenergy (about 1 million Btus every day for We are totally dependent on energy. It keeps our every man, woman, and child). Fortunately, our homes warm in the winter and cool in the summer. investments in energy efficient technologies have Energy is critical to producing, processing, begun to have an effect. Although our economy transporting, preparing, and preserving our food. has grown by 126 percent since 1972, our energy It powers our communication and computing use has increased by only 30 percent. Still, energy networks. Energy allows us to move people and experts predict that our energy use will increase 40 goods safely and quickly to all corners ofthe percent by 2025. So,WhatlsaBtu? A Btu or Britishthermal unitisa measureofenergy. One Btu istheamountofenergy requiredto raisethetemperatureofone pound ofwater (aboutone pint) exactlyone degree Fahrenheit. So,ifyou heatone pintofwaterfrom 100degreesto200degrees to maketwocupsofmorning coffee,youwill use 100 Btus. Everyelectricapplianceand light bulb in ourhomes usesenergywhen it ison. Forthis reason,theaverage single- familyresidence in America consumesa little morethan 100 million Btusofenergyper year. America'saveragedailyenergyconsumption isaboutone million Btusforevery man,woman,and child inthecountry. To put Btus in perspective,1 billion Btus istheenergycontained in approximately 971,000cubicfeetofnatural gasorthegas used in 11 averageAmerican homes in one year. Onetrillion Btus isthe energycontained in 7.5 million gallons ofgasoline,and one quadrillion Btus istheenergycontained in 40 milliontonsofcoal. Becauseour national energyuse is so large,we must measure it in quadrillion (1015) Btus. As our energy use has increased, so has our need originates from lands managed by the Department to import energy resources from foreign countries. ofthe Interior. Development ofour domestic energy This is especially true for crude oil, from which we resources provides America many benefits: energy make the fuels for our automobiles, trucks, trains, to support our economy and national security, ships, aircraft, and other products such as plastics, high-payingjobs, and contributions to our national fertilizers, paints, and medicines. Today, we import treasury. 58 percent ofthe oil we use. Energy experts predict that we will import 70 percent ofthe oil we use in The Department's contribution to domestic energy 2025. Our rapidly increasing use ofnatural gas to production is made principally through five of heat and cool our homes, generate electricity, and its Bureaus. The Bureau of Land Management provide raw materials for chemicals and fertilizer administers more than 261 million surface acres of will also require that we double our imports ofthis public lands and 700 million acres ofsubsurface critical energy resource by 2025. mineral estate (Federal land beneath surface lands owned or managed by other parties, such as the Except for oil, America has abundant energy USDA Forest Service). The Minerals Management resources. America has large reserves ofnatural gas Service manages the development ofenergy and and coal. We are also developing alternative energy mineral resources on the outer continental shelf sources such as hydropower, wind, geothermal, (OCS) lands beneath the oceans along our coasts. biomass, and solar. These energy resources can The Bureau ofReclamation produces electricity be produced to support our continued economic from many ofthe dams under its supervision. growth and our national security in a manner that The Office ofSurface Mining Reclamation and also protects our environment. All Americans can Enforcement works with States and Indian Tribes to contribute to the energy situation by using energy regulate coal mining. The Bureau ofIndian Affairs wisely and not wasting it. assists Indian Tribes in developing their energy and mineral resources. In addition to these five Bureaus, The U.S. Department ofthe Interior is a significant the U.S. Geological Survey studies, inventories, and contributor to America's energy supplies. About maps onshore energy resources. one-third ofall energy produced in America American Energy Consumption by Fuel in 2002 Geothermal, Biomass Wind,and Solar Hydropower (2.8%) (less than 1%) (2.7%) 1 Nearly 60 percent ofall American homes use Oil natural gas. In a single year, the average American iLil home uses about 84,000 cubic feet ofnatural gas Americans currently use about 830 million gallons for heating and cooling, heating water, cooking, and ofoil every day, but only produce about 387 million other purposes. gallons a day from domestic resources. To make up the difference between domestic production and About 1 1 percent ofour domestic natural gas is demand, we must import crude oil at an average produced from onshore public and Indian lands. rate of384 million gallons every day and refined Our onshore public lands are believed to overlie 201 products, such as gasoline, at an average rate of59 trillion cubic feet ofgas that we can produce with million gallons every day. current technology. Nearly 230 million cars, buses, and trucks are About 25 percent Contributions of Public, registered in America. Americans traveled nearly ofour domestic Indian,and OCS 2.9 trillion miles in these vehicles in 2002 and used natural gas is Lands to America's an average ofmore than 370 million gallons of produced from the Natural Gas Supply gasoline every day. outer continental shelf. Our outer Other Domestic About 5 percent ofour domestic oil is produced continental shelfis from onshore public and Indian lands. Our public believed to overlie lands are believed to overlie 328 billion gallons of 362 trillion cubic PLuabnldisc ,nd,an Land,s crude oil. feet ofnatural gas. About 30 percent ofour domestic oil is produced Coal from the outer continental shelfalong our coasts. Our outer continental Contributions of Public, Coal is America's most abundant fossil fuel. At our shelfis Indian,and OCS Lands to current rate ofuse, we have a 250-year supply. believed to America's Oil Supply overlie more America produces and uses about 1 billion tons of than 3 trillion coal every year. The electric power industry uses gallons of about 90 percent ofthe coal to produce about 5 crude oil. percent ofall the electricity generated in America. About 41 percent ofAmerica's coal is produced from public and Indian lands. The remainder is produced from State and private lands. Natural Gas The coal mining industry has Contributions of Public reclaimed more and Indian Lands to Natural gas is the cleanest burning ofall fossil fuels. than 2 million America's Coal Supply Americans currently use about 23 trillion cubic acres ofmined feet ofnatural gas, but produce only 19 trillion land during the — cubic feet from domestic resources. To make up past 20 years an the difference between domestic production and area about the size demand, we import about 4 trillion cubic feet ofgas. ofYellowstone Canada is our largest foreign natural gas supplier. National Park. Renewable Energy ofAmerica's electricity. Wind generates about 3 percent ofall electricity produced from renewable resources. Renewable energy resources (hydropower, wind, geothermal, biomass, and solar) are used to generate About 18 percent ofFederal lands, principally in the nearly 9 percent ofall electricity in America. western United States, have high potential for the development ofwind energy. Energy experts expect American renewable energy production to increase by 55 percent between 2002 About 10 percent ofAmerica's installed wind and 2025. capacity is on Federal lands. Hydropower In California, 2,960 wind turbines on public land near Palm Springs generate 3 5 megawatt hours 1 ofelectricity, enough electricity to supply 300,000 Hydropower resources provide about 2.7 percent of people. America's total energy supply and generate nearly 7 percent ofAmerica's electricity. Hydropower About 46 percent ofthe 261 million acres managed generates 76 percent ofall electricity produced from by the Bureau ofLand Management has commercial renewable resources. wind-energy development potential. The Department ofthe Interior's Bureau of Several wind farms have been proposed on Reclamation is the second largest producer of America's outer continental shelf. Experts believe hydroelectricity in America. that offshore wind energy has enormous growth potential. The Bureau manages 58 hydroelectric power plants, which annually generate more than 42 billion kilowatt-hours ofelectricity, enough electricity to Geothermal satisfy the needs of9 million people, or the energy equivalent of70 million barrels ofoil. Geothermal energy in the form ofnaturally The Bureau's 6.8 million kilowatt power plant at occurring steam or hot water is used to generate Grand Coulee Dam is the largest hydroelectric electricity or to provide heat. power plant in America. Americans consume more than 300 trillion Btus of energy generated from geothermal resources. Hydropower Contribution ofthe plants typically U.S.Department ofthe Geothermal resources provide 0.3 percent of operate at 85 to 90 Interiorto America's America's total energy supply and generate about percent efficiency, Hydropower Supply 0.3 percent ofAmerica's electricity. Geothermal more than twice generates nearly 4 percent ofall electricity produced the efficiency from renewable resources. offossil fuel plants, and do not Almost halfofAmerican geothermal energy emit significant production occurs on Federal lands, primarily in the amounts of western United States. greenhouse gases. The Bureau ofLand Management administers 34 Wind geothermal power plants with a total capacity of 1,275 megawatts, enough capacity to supply the Wind resources provide 0.1 percent ofAmerica's electricity needs ofover 1.2 million homes. total energy supply and generate about 0.3 percent Biomass The Department ofthe Interior operates more than 400 solar-powered facilities and 40 solar hot-water systems. Biomass energy is the energy released through the burning ofwood, other plant material, products Energy made from plant material (such as ethanol), and organic wastes. Nearly 75 percent ofbiomass Conservation energy is produced from the burning ofwood and other plant materials. Energy conservation is one way all Americans can Biomass resources provide nearly 3 percent of help reduce our energy demand. America's total energy supply and generate about 1.5 percent ofAmerica's electricity. Biomass The Department ofthe Interior spent $26 million for generates 17 percent ofall electricity produced from facility energy improvements in 2003. renewable resources. The Department's energy consumption in 2003 was About 24 percent ofFederal lands, principally in the about 3.2 percent less than its consumption in 1985. western United States, have high biomass resource potential. The Department purchased 923 million watts of electricity generated from renewable resources in The Departments ofthe Interior, Energy, and 2003. Agriculture have entered into an agreement to jointly promote the development ofbiomass energy Environmental production from public lands. Considerations The National Fire Plan estimates that about 100 million acres offorest and rangeland managed by the Department ofthe Interior contain large The Department ofthe Interior is committed to quantities offlammable brush and small trees that the environmentally responsible development of provide fuel for wildfires. Experts estimate that domestic energy resources. In providing energy for thinning ofthis material could provide enough America, the Department is guided by numerous electricity to supply 400,000 households for a year. laws to ensure protection ofpeople and the environment and the participation ofaffected people Solar in its decisionmaking process. Some ofthese laws include the following: Solar energy is energy captured from sunlight as National Environmental Policy Act heat or through conversion oflight to electricity Federal Land Policy and Management Act through photovoltaic cells. Outer Continental ShelfLands Act Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act Solar resources provide less than 0. 1 percent of Clean WaterAct America's total energy supply and generate less Clean AirAct than 0.1 percent ofAmerica's electricity. Solar Endangered Species Act and other wildlife generates about 0.1 percent ofall electricity protection acts produced from renewable resources. Marine Mammal Protection Act About 67 percent ofFederal lands in the lower 48 Coastal Zone Management Act States, principally in the western United States, Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act have a high potential for concentrated solar thermal National Historic Preservation Act energy production. About 74 percent ofFederal Native American Grave Protection and lands in the lower 48 States, principally in the Repatriation Act western United States, have a high potential for American Indian Religious Freedom Act photovoltaic solar energy production. Administrative Procedure Act summer, In all that remains ofthe drilling operation at the site above is this solitary well head. ModernEnergyProductionMinimizesItsFootprintandRestoresLandscapes *t» fiaii Surface coal mining is a temporary use ofthe land. Surface coal mines are reclaimed for other uses. Want Know More? to Would you like to learn more about how the Department ofthe Interior is providing energy for America's future? Visit the following websites or call the following telephone number. Department ofthe Interior www.doi.gov Bureau of Land Management www.blm.gov Minerals Management Service www.mms.gov Office of Surface Mining, Reclamation and Enforcement www.osmre.gov Bureau of Reclamation www.usbr.gov U.S.Geological Survey www.usgs.gov Bureau of Indian Affairs 202-208-7163 For information from the U.S. Department of Energy, visit the Energy Information Administration at www.eia.doe.gov. m [I ' BLM/WO/GI-04/004+3 00 1 4 BLM-NSTC-2004 ^7r™ENTOFThF^5„ ^IND\N^i