Californians are fortunate to have an abundance of some of the world's richest resources. Yet those riches are hidden, or so regulated that their benefits are never realized by the people. We can create jobs, reduce taxes and pay off our debts by tapping into our natural resources and developing new technologies for the benefit of all Californians.

DRILL FOR OIL. A vast supply of oil lies along California's coastline. Today we have newer technologies not only to capture that oil, but to protect the environment at the same time. Oil spills over the past 25 years have been limited primarily to ship or barge accidents. The oil platforms have not been the problem, although they have been blamed for the 50 thousand barrels of oil that leaks naturally from the ocean floor. The Santa Barbara Energy Commission tells us that the "rights fees" from our own oil production would be enough to nearly pay off California's debts and obligations and reduce our dependency on foreign oil.

NUCLEAR ENERGY. Fifty-three years ago, California lead the Nation as the country's first civilian nuclear and "commercial" power plant went online to provide electricity to Southern California. There have been five nuclear power plants built in California over the years, all of which have been closed for various reasons. With oil being relatively cheap, the continuing development of nuclear energy eventually came to a crawl and its use as a viable source of energy lost appeal. Now with the price of oil at an all time high, even President Obama is urging the nation to reconsider its use. Some European countries have developed a series of mini-nuclear power plants that have sufficiently met their needs over the past few decades. These units, using newer technologies, provide maximum benefits with minimal risk. I will immediately launch a study of these units, and if found viable, we will start construction immediately. This will benefit our state by putting Californians back to work and reducing our demand for foreign oil.

HARNESS THE WIND. Ken met with a company in Southern California that has developed a small, highly efficient turbine fan that can be used to generate electricity with a gentle breeze of only 2 miles per hour. This unit can be used in commercial applications as well as the consumer level. Many "wind farms" presently exist in California but the application of newer technologies adds tremendous value in reducing energy cost to the consumer.

SUN POWER. Until now, California's deserts have been a vast wasteland since the beginning of time. A few solar companies have taken advantage of these natural resources by building solar farms to produce electricity. It is evident we can capture the power of the sun, put more Californians back to work, protect the environment and cut our energy cost by developing and expanding this natural resource. We can do it.