By Jack Money
Business Writer
As printed in The Oklahoman, August 9, 2008.

Larry Nichols, chairman and chief executive officer of Devon Energy Corp., talked about what his company and others like it are doing to help meet the nation's energy needs and how the country and its leaders should address growing demand.

"The best policy for our country, I believe, is for Congress to support all forms of energy," Nichols said. "The rest of the world has become and will continue to become even more competitive for all forms of energy. And we need to develop all of them."

Steven P. Rhines, the vice president, general counsel and director of public affairs for the Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, talked about the Oklahoma Bioenergy Center and its efforts to develop sorghum and switch grass as stocks for alternative fuels. Rhines said Congress, through its passage of the Energy Independence and Security and Act in December, requires that 36 billion gallons of biofuels to be consumed in the country by 2022.

"So, the challenge is out there," Rhines said.

Rep. Cole, meanwhile, talked during the meeting about his efforts to reach across the political aisle and work with Democrats to help address the energy crunch.

"Knowing the right thing to do is really where we are at, right now, and a really important debate is happening, nationally," Cole said. "Our surpluses really are gone. We have avoided making hard choices for about 30 years, but those days are over now."

Sheppard said Friday he remembers the country was trying all the same types of alternative energy 30 years ago. He added, though, that he believes today's outcome will be different because technology, especially for nuclear power has improved greatly.

This article appeared in The Oklahoman, www.newsok.com, on August 9, 2008.