Energy has been in the news lately: The natural gas industry appears to be developing a world market; the U.S. Army is experimenting with “alternative” and “renewable” energy sources; “green” and “conservation” are being marketed as sound corporate management strategies. A half century ago the emphasis on natural gas, alternative and renewable fuels, and conservation were not in the energy policy mix in the United States. The convergence of historical trends in the 1970s, however, ushered in a “long transition” in American energy policy-making that is on-going. This month historian William R. Childs untangles a few of the many complex strands that make up the history of energy policy in America.In addition to the text, the article is accompanied by images, maps and charts, and a bibliography, including links to on-line sources; it is also available as a podcast.
Childs is the author of The Texas Railroad Commission: Understanding Regulation in America to the Mid-Twentieth Century (TAMU Press, 2005), as well as many articles and essays on American and business history. Among other projects, he is currently working on a book on U.S. energy policy. Origins is just one project in the group of digital initiatives that make up the OSU eHistory site. Others include multimedia projects, book reviews, primary sources, and a maps and images collection.