(Radio Iowa) – Former Vice President Mike Pence says he has a plan to unleash America’s resources and make the United States the world’s top energy producer by 2040. China has led the world in energy production since 2006.  “For the long term security and prosperity of the United States of America, we have to have a vision and a long term strategy,” Pence said. “In a little more than 15 years America can be the number one energy producer in the world and in one more way we’ll be the leader of the free world again.”

Pence, who’ll be campaigning in eastern Iowa this (Thursday) morning, describes his plan as an “all of the above” strategy. Corn-based ethanol is part of the mix. “Coming from the state of Indiana, I have been an enthusiastic supporter of ethanol. In my plan we actually call for year round E15,” Pence says. Pence says if elected president, he would remove limitations on natural gas extraction and grant new drilling permits on federal lands.  “The Biden Administration slowed down and in many ways shut down oil and natural gas exploration in the United States,” Pence says.

Pence says it’s not realistic to abandon fossil fuels and the Biden Administration’s extreme focus on a carbon-free future is folly, according to Pence. Pence, though, says a comprehensive energy strategy should include renewable sources like wind, solar and hydro-power — as well as nuclear energy. Pence says the safety of nuclear power is light years ahead of what it was decades ago when incidents like the Three Mile Island accident made headlines. “We also have to remind people that as we all desire to reduce CO2 emissions — in my case not through mandates and not through a climate change agenda, but through American innovation — nuclear power generates zero CO2,” Pence says, “so it’s clean for the environment, it’s safe.”

Iowa’s only nuclear power plant was shut down three years ago and MidAmerican Energy abandoned its proposal for a small scale nuclear power plant in Iowa a decade ago. Pence made his comments during an interview with Radio Iowa. He plans to visit the Iowa State Fair this (Thursday) afternoon.