Forbes Editorial: "The New Manhattan Project" - Bearing Drift Magazine

In 1942, the U.S. federal government, in response to the pressures of the ongoing global situation, formed a group whose central mission was to study the use of atomic energy in creating an atomic weapon. That unique research and development mission came to be known as the Manhattan Project. The Manhattan Project took place in more than 30 different locations across the nation, each location sharing the same goal of creating an atomic weapon, a feat that seemed nearly impossible at the time. 

The government searched across the country to form a team made up of the most brilliant scientists and researchers in hydrodynamics, neutron diffusion, plutonium, and fission piles. The chosen scientists and researchers joined together in one of the largest, most challenging scientific missions our nation has ever undertaken. Our governmental leaders at the time knew that the project was too big and too complicated for a group of federal government employees to undertake on its own, and they likely knew that Congress’ involvement would have hindered the mission with politicized rhetoric. Instead, they went to the best and brightest scientists and researchers in the field who, by coming together, developed the seemingly impossible nuclear technology that changed the course of history. 

That scenario is not too different from what the United States is currently facing in terms of energy. Our nation’s energy challenges touch nearly every aspect of American life - from the personal pocketbook, to our national security, to conservation and the environment, to our global competitiveness. And like so many other national challenges, ending our dependency on oil must be a priority of our nation. 

However, at the root of any initiative must be a project that relies not on taxation like we’ve seen with recent cap-and-trade legislation, but rather on the ingenuity and resourceful spirit of the American people that has made this nation great. It must be a bold enough plan to change the trajectory of our nation, and it must rely on scientific ingenuity and breakthroughs - not the federal government - to find reliable sources of energy. When our government set out on the original Manhattan Project, it did not look within its own bureaucracy, it looked toward the American people, who it knew would take on the challenge and relish the opportunity to show that the United States and its people can and will conquer any challenge put before them.

We stand at a crossroads in energy development in the United States, and we have some questions to ask ourselves as a nation: Will we rely on innovation to pursue alternative energy sources and achieve a cleaner environment? Will we embark on a bold mission to make ET - energy technology - to the 21st century what IT – information technology - was to the 90s? Will we choose a plan that will create lasting economic security and secure our global competitiveness for years to come?

Energy independence should not be held hostage by the government bureaucracy. We should approach alternative energy development with lasting, incentive-based solutions that encourage competition and ingenuity among Americans. To that end, I have introduced a nationally-acclaimed legislative initiative that includes these pillars that are necessary to achieving energy independence. My New Manhattan Project for Energy Independence is a plan that brings together a new generation of scientists, researchers and innovators to overcome a unified national challenge, just as we did with the original Manhattan Project in World War II. It establishes goals that would lead the United States toward achieving 50% energy independence in ten years and 100% energy independence in 20 years.

To achieve these goals, the New Manhattan Project will bring together scientists and researchers from across the United States in a competitive format among groups, schools, teams, or companies to reach each one of seven energy goals:

• Double CAFE standards to 70 MPG while keeping vehicles affordable
• Cut home and business energy usage in half
• Make solar power work at the same cost as coal
• Make the production of biofuels cost-competitive with gasoline
•  Safely and cheaply store carbon emissions from coal-powered plants
• Safely store or neutralize nuclear waste
• Produce usable electricity from a nuclear fusion reaction 

These goals are not easy. The processes to reach them are not simple. Many Americans may think they are impossible, but if there is one thing that is certain, it is that America needs some wins today. The New Manhattan Project would put our nation on a direct path toward energy independence, while helping create lasting economic security for our nation and its families, and securing our global competitiveness for years to come. The New Manhattan Project will write a new page in our history books reflecting once again that the size of our accomplishments is only limited by the size of our determination.