The campaign for presumed Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney laid out a plan Wednesday for America to be energy independent by 2020.

 

On an embargoed conference call with reporters, Romney staffers touched on familiar themes they said would wean the country off imported oil and spark an economic boom at home. Namely, they called for fewer regulations and more drilling.

 

The staffers pointed to the revolution in drilling technology in recent years that's unlocked an energy boom in this country, and contrasted that with President Obama's support for renewable energy, which they said has failed to pay off.

 

"There's incredible potential for the development of these resources, but it's something President Obama has been doing his best to stifle," said Oren Cass, Romney's domestic policy director. "Governor Romney embraces this revolution."

 

Specifically, the campaign called for states to have control over drilling on federal land within their borders, the opening of new offshore areas including off the Virginia and North Carolina coasts, and a streamlined and expedited regulatory process.

 

The campaign also laid out a list of benefits it said would come from obtaining energy independence, including the creation of 3 million new jobs and $1 trillion in government revenues.