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C00002 00002	deukme[f82,jmc]		SE2 letter to Governor Deukmejian
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deukme[f82,jmc]		SE2 letter to Governor Deukmejian

Dear Governor Deukmejian:

	The Stanford University chapter of Scientists and Engineers
for Secure Energy would like to offer the services of its members
in developing and implementing an energy policy for California.
We would like to meet with you in Sacramento if this seems useful
to you.	

	Although the crisis atmosphere is temporarily dissipated,
California has a serious long term energy supply problem.  Moreover,
the actions and rhetoric of the previous state administration
have largely been determined by sentimentality and wishful
thinking about what energy sources are available and California's
ability to be prosperous while using less energy.

	We believe the facts are as follows:

	1. Nothing has occurred to change the fact that the world
will not be able to maintain present levels of oil and gas production
for very long.  Whether the time is 10 years or 25 is still uncertain.

	2. There is no moral virtue in economizing energy except
saving money.  People will make very large reduction only in response
to very high prices or very economical technology.  We need new
sources of energy even to maintain a low standard of living.

	3. The politically attractive sources of energy - wind, solar,
biomass, etc. - still cannot be counted on to produce large amounts
of energy at reasonable costs.

	4. Nuclear energy has been hampered by excessive regulation
and lack of competence and experience on the part of the utilities.
Nevertheless, it remains the single most economical long term source
of electricity.  With the Congressional decision on waste disposal,
a major obstacle has been removed.

	5. The other important long term source for America is coal.
However, burning coal in California has serious problems.

	6. The policies of the State of California during the Brown
Administration have not been successful and have created many
extra costs and bureaucratic obstacles to solving California's
energy problems.  In particular, the Energy Commission has been
more an obstacle than a help to the development of energy sources.

	Notes:

	1. We need a few recommendations, and they don't seem obvious.

	2. Perhaps we should recommend some state financed research,
or if it exists, some modificaions.

	3. Perhaps we should give up this project as too late.