The average American would believe that the nation's need for substantial nuclear fuel, oil, natural gas, and coal will soon be a distant memory, based on the Obama administration's strident emphasis on developing "alternative" energy sources. The reality, however, is quite different.

AEI's annual compilation of polling data on the environment, key issues and findings

As gasoline prices climb, President Obama's poll numbers plummet. In February, a Washington Post/ABC poll had Obama up 6 points against Mitt Romney. Monday's poll has him down 2. According to the polls, gas prices are a huge part of the story, particularly given how the last 30 days or so have not exactly been great for the GOP.

Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan, who faces the end of his political career, has decided to go out in a blaze of glory. Mr. Kan dramatically announced last month that Japan should end the country's reliance on nuclear power for electricity generation.

Not many people noticed during the run up to the Iowa caucuses and last year's payroll tax fight that a far more important, and potentially game-changing, resolution passed the Senate at the end of 2011.

The solution to our dependence on foreign oil is not to switch to renewable resources, but to put forth better policy, and remove restrictions of local drilling.

The president was quick to embrace the Keystone delay to 2013, as it will spare him the need to either approve the pipeline, infuriating environmentalists, or kill it, infuriating everyone else. Whether one views such a move as cowardly or as pragmatic, it’s indisputably foolish.