Student Role Cards

Energy Policy: A Decision-Making Simulation

Department of Energy

Your department was established in 1977 and is directly responsible to the President. You share the President's concern over dependence on foreign oil and you want a program that will reduce that dependence while also maintaining a healthy economy. You will need the latest statistics and statements about petroleum dependence.

Department of Transportation

Your department is directly responsible to the President. You are constantly under pressure from the transportation industries-trucking, auto, railroad, and energy-and you try to balance these interests. Don't neglect to examine the 55 mph speed limit as it relates to energy, safety, and the demands of motorists and truckers.

Conservation Groups

You are primarily concerned with improving the quality of life by using less energy and halting pollution from most existing energy sources (coal, oil, natural gas, wood, and nuclear reactors). You also want to lessen the dangers involved in extracting, transporting, and using these energy sources.

Oil and Natural Gas Lobby

Your group promotes the exploration and use of domestic (U.S.) oil and natural gas, including oil from shale. You need to be persuasive in such areas as proven reserves, extended life of your products, and their value to the consumer and the economy.

U.S. Automobile Manufacturers Association

You are interested in gaining (or keeping) high profits in the automobile and truck industries. Generally, you favor few government regulations and want a healthy economy. You need evidence supporting your belief that measures are needed to improve your industry for the well-being of the nation and for its people.

Nuclear Power Lobby

Your group includes representatives of privately owned utilities companies producing electricity by nuclear power. Your aim is to promote the expansion of nuclear power for energy. You will need evidence to support the ideas that this source is safe, practical, and necessary.

Concerned-Citizens Group

You may take any position you choose, but your responsibility as a group is to be as objective as possible and come up with a plan that you believe will be of greatest benefit to the American people.

The Solar Lobby

Yours is a voluntary organization of citizens dedicated to: (a) influencing Congress and federal agencies to promote decentralized solar technology, and (b) disproving the arguments against solar energy (the main one being that it is nice, but not practical).



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