Page 3 waste and voluntary conservation should be a basic part of the program. Nor can we run the high risk to our national security and to our economic well being that follows from overdependence upon imported energy. The public interest demands increased production of domestic energy to keep us in control of our own political and economic destinies, to provide for continued em-ployment, and the enhancement of our standard of living and quality of life. Any realistic plan designed to encourage domestic independence in energy supply must recognize: first, that the era of low-cost hydrocarbon energy has passed and that energy in the future will be much more costly; and second, that a higher percentage of our energy requirements should be provided through electric power so that the burden of meeting the nation's energy needs can increasingly be met by two presently available resources that this country has or has potentially in abundant supply - coal and uranium. These fuels are capable of providing the primary energy to meet electric power demand far into the future. In addition, shifting to a greater emphasis on electricity will reduce our need for imported oil and will allow our available liquid fuels to be conserved for high priority uses such as in the transportation sector. The burning of coal continues to encounter environmental restraints. Productivity in underground mines has been adversely affected by the administration of health and safety laws. Surface mining is faced with additional regulatory restrictions. Access to necessary water is being threatened. Normal lead times required to