Memorandum from Vernon Caryle Holloway, Chairman of the Florida House Committee on Transportation, to T. Terrell Sessums, Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives, about the National Energy Emergency Act of 1973, December 3, 1973

Energy policy

Energy conservation

A memorandum from Vernon Caryle Holloway, chairman of the Florida House of Representatives Committee on Transportation to T. Terrell Sessums, Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives regarding the proposed National Energy Emergency Act of 1973, S 2589, and its possible implications for Floria, dated December 3, 1973.

Holloway, Vernon Caryle, 1919-2000

State Archives of Florida, Series S157

1973-12-03

Florida. Legislature. House of Representatives. Committee on Transportation

memorandums

eng-US

text

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Late 20th-Century Florida (1968-2000)

Tallahassee (Fla.)

Leon County (Fla.)

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Politics and Government

Florida. Legislature. House of Representatives

Sessums, T. Terrell (Thomas Terrell), 1930-2020

FLORIDA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
TALLAHASSEE
COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION
December 3, 1973
Vernon C. Holloway, Chairman
Ted Randell, Vice Chairman
Wes Watson
Staff Director
MEMORANDUM
TO: T. Terrell Sessums
Speaker, House of Representatives
FROM: Vernon C. Holloway
Chairman, House Transportation Committee
RE: Proposed National Energy Emergency Act of 1973
S 2589 appears to cover, in a general way, the foreseeable contingencies concomitant with a serious fuel and resultant energy Shortage. However, there are certain considerations peculiar to the State of Florida and possibly to a few other States which should call for greater emphasis or more specific and stronger directives in various sections of the bill.
1. For instance, Florida is in the unenviable position of being dependent upon fossil fuels, principally petroleum, for approximately 93% of its energy supply, and we have little or no alternative source available for the operation of our power plants. To compound this problem, we are almost entirely dependent upon import
[Footer with Member names]
Members
J. Hyatt Brown
Frank Carlucci
William R. Conway
Granville H. Crabtree, Jr.
Donald R. Crane, Jr.
W. E. Fulford
William L. Gibson
Gene Hodges
John C. Malloy
Ray Mattox
Leon N. McDonald, Sr.
C. William Nelson
James L. Redman
A. S. Robinson
Arthur H. Rude
Pat Thomas
Fred Tittle

transportation facilities, ground and water, to obtain these supplies of petroleum. Any significant cutback in fuel supply to power plants, or to the water and ground transportation facilities supplying these plants, would cause drastic and disastrous reductions in these vital power supplies. A very few power plants have the capability of utilizing natural gas in place of petroleum products, but there is little advantage therein inasmuch as the supply of natural gas is as inadequate for that purpose as is the supply of petroleum products.
2. In determining decreases in allocations of fuel to the states, it is imperative that careful consideration be given to the population growth factor. Florida is one of the Fastest growing States in the nation, principally due to its climate, and based on 1972 figures what might appear to be a reasonable percentage of decrease in fuel consumption in other states could be calamitous to Florida in the long run. With an annual 5% increase in population, the initial 10% and eventual 25% reduction in power Supply and consumption requirements would realistically become much greater percentages of reduction if the desired level of consumption is to be attained. It would thus become a punitive, rather than an expedient, measure. In further consideration of the fact that much of our population increase consists of retirees and other elderly people, it should be evident that such an inequitable fuel reduction would result in serious illnesses and even unnecessary fatalities in this category of residents.

3. The extrapolated percentages in the foregoing paragraph would be significantly increased in the event of a very cold winter. Winter of 1972 was unusually mild, and heating fuel consumption was minimal. Should 1973 produce extreme cold, necessary usage needs in heating fuel could increase by an alarming percentage. Also, even with curtailment of personal travel, it appears inevitable that significant numbers of northern residents will come to Florida to get away from cold weather. These visitors will increase the need for fuel supplies here, while the reduction of need in their home states may be indeterminable. Curtailment of certain travel modes will undoubtedly have some effect on this, but with other travel modes available, there is no possible a method of making valid projections.
4. The citrus crop is a major economic factor in Florida, and its success is predominantly dependent on the ability to ward off winter freeze by “smudge fire" means. Since older methods of burning rubber tires and other such material has been outlawed by air pollution prohibitions, growers are now dependent on the use of petroleum fuels. Again, due to the very mild winter of 1972, such fuel demands were very low. Should 1973 produce unusual cold, growers would not be able to get adequate fuel supplies under the proposed plan, and the citrus crop would be doomed.

5. Last, but far from least in importance, is the fact that tourism is Florida's principal industry. Due to its nebulous character, it is difficult to estimate the percentages of employment solely and partially dependent on tourism. Suffice it to Say that should fuel allocations be low enough to seriously restrict tourist travel, the effect on employment and tourist- oriented businesses would be catastrophic, and Florida would see a recession of unlimited economic Severity. The overall picture, Should this occur, is so dismal as to defy comprehension.
In view of the foregoing, it is therefore recommended that we ask for inclusion of a specific provision or formula whereby Florida's growth factor and tourist industry would be given the consideration necessary for our economic survival.

In the 1970s, the United States and other nations around the world faced an energy crisis. With a decline in domestic production of oil and an increase in consumer demand, the United States became reliant on importing fuel, especially from Middle Eastern countries.
In 1973, members of the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC) placed an oil embargo on the United States in response to President Nixon’s support of Israel during the Yom Kippur War.
With energy shortages and skyrocketing prices, the United States had to create strategies for conserving fuel. President Nixon even created a new agency called the Federal Energy Office, later the Federal Energy Administration. Other tactics included reducing highway speed limits to 55 miles per hour, and putting the country on year-round Daylight Saving Time.
Although the oil embargo was lifted in March of 1974, the impacts of the crisis were felt throughout the rest of the decade. The United States was in an economic recession until 1975, and the country experienced a second energy crisis in 1979 in the aftermath of the Iranian Revolution.