George Allen launches group to sway energy policy

Former Gov. and U.S. Sen. George Allen has launched an organization, the American Energy Freedom Center, to try to influence the public debate about energy.

In a conference call with reporters Tuesday, Allen said coal, oil and natural gas are the solution to the nation's energy problem.

"The sun doesn't shine all the time; the wind doesn't blow all the time," he said, referring to alternative energy sources of wind and solar power.

The nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization will not lobby, Allen said.

"Our mission is informational and educational," he said.

The Republican, after losing the U.S. Senate race in 2006, has formed a consultancy in Washington.

The center is affiliated with the Institute for Energy Research.

Allen said the public is not being informed that the nation has ample coal, oil and natural gas resources. More than 50 percent of the electricity in this country comes from coal, he said.

Congress needs to remove some regulatory impediments to nuclear power, he added.

Allen said the cap-and-trade system proposed by President Barack Obama would increase the average household's monthly utility bill by $200 to $250. -- Tyler Whitley