Barr Favors Offshore Drilling
Barr is in favor of allowing more offshore drilling in America's coastal waters. In fact, according to his campaign Web site, Barr believes that “Congress should allow the exploration and production of America’s abundant domestic resources, including oil in the Outer Continental Shelf and Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and alternative sources such as shale oil. We should develop our nation’s natural assets, which would lower costs to the consumer and assure more adequate and consistent supplies.”
Barr Opposes Government Intervention
As a Libertarian, Barr opposes any government intervention designed to influence energy production “whether through more regulations or more subsidies (or both)” and believes that “the free market, driven by consumer choice and reflecting the real cost of resources, should be the foundation of America’s energy policy.”
According to Barr, the role of the federal government should be to “eliminate restrictions that inhibit energy production, as well as all special privileges for the production of politically favored fuels, such as ethanol.”
Barr Offers No Vision for Renewable Energy
Barr has not called on Congress to revoke the billions of dollars in tax breaks and federal subsidies the oil industry already receives, nor has he proposed an energy plan that would include alternative fuels and renewable energy sources that could eventually replace fossil fuels.
