JACKSON TWP The pervading message at an energy forum at Seneca Valley Intermediate High School Thursday was that the stranglehold foreign oil has on the U.S. economy must end.

More than 300 secondary students from the Seneca Valley, Mars, North Hills and Avonworth school districts packed the school’s auditorium to hear three experts discuss the topic: Global Energy Security and the Environment.

Panel members from the World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh included:

n Anne Korin, co-director of the Institute for the Analysis of Global Security.

n Jean-Dominique Le Garrec, a French national who works at Westinghouse Electric in Cranberry Township on international business development projects.

n Jack Crook, a licensed geologist with the state Department of Environmental Protection. He has taken part in the development of regulations for drilling and well construction as a DEP geologist.

A video created by Seneca Valley gifted education students demonstrated U.S. reliance on foreign oil and its dangers. The video stated that the U.S. spends more than $600 billion on oil each year, and imports more oil than any other country in the world. Also, 97 percent of transportation worldwide relies on oil.

Korin likened global dependence on foreign oil to the status of salt many centuries ago. She said the world needed salt to preserve food, and because salt mines were not available in every country, the importing and exporting of salt ruled the world’s economy.

Wars were fought over salt, and access to salt meant power.

“It really held the same importance as oil does today,” Korin said.

She said salt is completely irrelevant today because of canning and electricity that allows refrigeration.

Korin said a $100 tweak in today’s automobile engines would allow cars to burn alcohol-based liquid fuels such as ethanol and methanol, giving motorists a choice whether to use gasoline or another fuel. That scenario, said Korin, would make for competition and a toppling of big oil’s monopoly on transportation.

Korin said having no choice but gasoline at the pumps allows gas prices to rise without limit. She said improvements in technology in electric cars and outlets to charge them at gas stations would allow electric utilities to compete with big oil.

Le Garrec told the students that France has no natural gas or oil and has long since depleted its native coal. He said instead of relying on big oil for energy, France in 1973 built its first nuclear power plant with Westinghouse.

France now has 58 nuclear plants, including the state-of-the-art Gravelines plant in Northern France.

That plant was the first in the world to deliver 1,000 billion kilowatts of energy and is less than halfway through its 60-year life. Also, Gravelines’ waste is reduced to carbon dioxide and safely buried underground.

Le Garrec said new energy choices, such as Marcellus Shale natural gas, as well as groundbreaking research into environmentally friendly energy forms, are promising for the U.S.

“The energy challenges we are facing today will be your responsibility in future years when you are adults,” Le Garrec told the students.

Crook explained Marcellus Shale and the process of extracting it from 5,000 to 8,000 feet below the Earth’s surface. A DEP handout outlined the requirements on Marcellus drillers, which are meant to protect Pennsylvania water wells and streams.

Crook said Marcellus Shale gas will pump $1 billion into the state’s economy through jobs, manufacturing and businesses used by gas workers. He said the development of the shale gas would decrease dependence on foreign oil.

Le Garrec was asked why the United States does not rely more heavily on nuclear power as is the case in France. He said France had no choice because it does not have energy sources, but the U.S. has coal, natural gas, wind turbines and other energy possibilities.

He also said in a democracy, each energy industry becomes political.

“Here, it’s more complicated,” said Le Garrec of energy policy.

Korin was asked which type of energy she thinks is the best. She replied that instead of one energy source, the U.S. should open its market to several types so citizens could decide which is best for them.

“American people need to wake up and get educated and realize this is about breaking the cycle of imported oil,” Korin said.

Another student asked how long the U.S. could survive using only energy sources from this country.

Crook replied that when the first Marcellus Shale well in southwestern Pennsylvania was drilled in 2005, the answer was 15 to 20 years. But he said other, deeper gas reserves are being researched, and still other forms of energy could be discovered.

Regarding nuclear energy, Crook said the industry did not flourish initially because of the issue of disposing of nuclear waste and because the use of fossil fuels put nuclear power on the back burner.

Forum moderator Jonathan Hill, an adjunct professor at the Duquesne University Graduate School of Business, said he appreciated the intelligent questions asked by students.

“The students seemed to understand the importance of these issues,” Hill said. “Their questions were directed toward critical issues.”

Sophomore Hailie Sandor said the forum was informative, especially since some of the material was covered in students’ history classes.

“As the panelists said, it’s amazing to be educated on this subject at such a young age,” Sandor said.

Freshman Sarah Chartier said the forum showed that young people cannot be complacent about their future.

Sophomore Connor Kane called the forum a “wonderful experience.”

“My generation needs to become more educated so we can go out and follow through with some of the plans and ideas of these experts,” Kane said.

Seneca Valley gifted support teacher Debbie McDermott said students might now ponder the U.S. dependency on foreign oil and the security threats that dependency entails.

“These are real-world issues that are being addressed that adults need (to be informed on) as well as students,” McDermott said.