It’s no secret that is it almost Election Day, and with all of the political ads and media coverage on TV it’s not only hard to escape all of the election talk, but it’s difficult to decipher where each candidate stands on important issues.

So we’ve done the research for you and outlined each candidate’s position on notable energy issues so that you can make a more informed choice in November.

Presidential Candidates Energy Policies

Obama

Romney
Energy Independence
  • Boost research for oil alternatives [1]
  • Continue investment in clean energy [1,3]
  • Independence by 2020 [1]
  • Streamline drilling permit process for oil & gas industry [4,5]
Offshore Drilling
  • Wants stricter standards for exploration and production in offshore drilling [3]
  • “Established National Ocean Policy to make it a priority of the federal government to ensure a proactive approach to improving the conservation of the ocean, our coasts, and the Great Lakes.” [1]
  • Wants to open up coastlines for more drilling [4]
  • “Permits and approvals for exploration and development should be issued according to fixed timelines with the availability of fast-track processes.” [5]
Keystone XL Pipeline

Delayed decision

Supports
Climate Change
  • Supports Clean Air Act [3]
  • Invested in clean energy via Recovery Act in 2009 [1]
  • Wants to continue tax credits for alternative energy [1]
  • Supports mandatory cap-and-trade system [1]
  • Believes that for the “U.S. to impose costs on its own emissions will be to shift industrial activity overseas to nations whose industrial processes are more emissions-intensive” [1]
  • Opposes strict EPA regulations of greenhouse gases [1]
  • Opposes carbon tax and cap-and-trade [1]
  • Wants to “streamline the regulatory framework for the deployment of new energy technologies.” [1]
  • “Work to amend the [Clean Air] Act and remove carbon dioxide emission regulations from its purview.” [5]
Onshore Exploration
Wants:

  • Safe & responsible standards for exploration & production [1,3]
  • To explore more domestic oil options [3]
 Wants:

  • New assessment of resources [4]
  • To give states choice in onshore drilling [1]
  • To “permit drilling wherever it can be done safely…including the Gulf of Mexico…the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and off the Alaska coast.” [5]
  • “Federal government must open greater access to federal lands for oil production.” [1]