Cuts disembowel US energy info agency

In a world where access to ever-more and real-time data is critical for effective government, competitive business and smart, sustainable communities, hearing that a key source of vital information is being cut off is very bad news.

And that’s exactly what the latest announcement from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) is: very bad news. Worse than very bad, in fact, as the agency is essentially gutting the nation’s ability to understand the energy landscape at a time when that is more important than ever.

Citing budget cuts, the EIA announcement reads like a worst-case scenario for anyone involved in the energy industry. Among the information the agency says it will no longer provide:

• 2011 data on US proved oil and natural gas reserves;
• Annual petroleum marketing data and fuel oil/kerosene sales reports;
• Audits of data submitted by major oil and natural gas companies;
• Annual data gathering and reports on geothermal space heating (heat pump) systems and solar thermal systems;
• The 2011 Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey (CBECS), which the agency describes as “the nation’s only source of statistical data for energy consumption and related characteristics of commercial buildings”;
• Future updates to EIA’s International Energy Statistics;
• The 2012 edition of EIA’s International Energy Outlook;
• Future upgrades to the National Energy Modeling System (NEMS), “the country’s preeminent tool for developing projections of US energy production, consumption, prices, and technologies”;
• Annual inventory reports of US greenhouse gas emissions; and
• Live telephone support via its customer contact centre.

It’s hard, after reading that list, to not sense a large dose of irony in the agency’s following comments that the changes are “undoubtedly painful,” but that the EIA will “work with stakeholders to minimise the disruption” and remains “committed to maintaining the bulk of EIA’s comprehensive energy information program and strengthening it where possible.” Work, maintain and strengthen? With what? Pencils, tape and chewing gum?

These changes disembowel the EIA, no question about it. As for the “savings” generated — a $15.2 million cut in the agency’s budget, when the entire federal budget for 2011 exceeds $3.6 trillion– the decision is pure insanity. National energy security is one of the last areas that should see such deep cuts at this critical point in history.