Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Kentucky Congressman Urges President To Increase America's Energy Production.
— Congressman Hal Rogers announced his support today for a resolution encouraging President Bush to immediately and permanently lift the Executive order banning energy production on America’s Outer Continental Shelf.
“The average price of gasoline was $2.33 when this Congressional term began in January of 2007 and today the average price is almost $4,” stated Rogers. “Energy exploration on the Outer Continental Shelf is a positive step toward moving our nation toward energy independence and putting American oil into our cars and trucks. We are far too vulnerable to the whims of foreign cartels and regimes and it’s high time we drill here at home.”
A federal moratorium currently prohibits the safe exploration of our resources along the OCS. This moratorium was instituted in 1990 and will expire in 2012; however, the ban can be eliminated at any time by the President. H.Res. 1282 calls on the President to immediately lift this moratorium and allow for OCS drilling. Recent polling shows that 67 percent of the American people support more American-made energy by revoking leasing restrictions on the OCS.
The U.S. Minerals Management Service estimates the OCS contains at least 86 billion barrels of oil and 420 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. The United States has developed a comprehensive framework of environmental laws and regulations and fostered the development of state-of-the-art technology that allows for the responsible development of these resources. Several countries, including the United Kingdom, Brazil, Ireland, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, and Norway, already allow exploration along their OCS.
“The families of my region are seeing 10-16 percent of their take home pay go to fill the gas tank. Coupled with rising food prices and the costs of services, we need to be in crisis mode and go after these oil reserves on U.S. territory,” Rogers said. “The President’s action on this issue is needed to bring our policies in line with the needs of Americans.”
Rogers will continue to encourage the President to revoke the Executive memorandum and urge the President to work with Congress to increase the production of American energy.
“The average price of gasoline was $2.33 when this Congressional term began in January of 2007 and today the average price is almost $4,” stated Rogers. “Energy exploration on the Outer Continental Shelf is a positive step toward moving our nation toward energy independence and putting American oil into our cars and trucks. We are far too vulnerable to the whims of foreign cartels and regimes and it’s high time we drill here at home.”
A federal moratorium currently prohibits the safe exploration of our resources along the OCS. This moratorium was instituted in 1990 and will expire in 2012; however, the ban can be eliminated at any time by the President. H.Res. 1282 calls on the President to immediately lift this moratorium and allow for OCS drilling. Recent polling shows that 67 percent of the American people support more American-made energy by revoking leasing restrictions on the OCS.
The U.S. Minerals Management Service estimates the OCS contains at least 86 billion barrels of oil and 420 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. The United States has developed a comprehensive framework of environmental laws and regulations and fostered the development of state-of-the-art technology that allows for the responsible development of these resources. Several countries, including the United Kingdom, Brazil, Ireland, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, and Norway, already allow exploration along their OCS.
“The families of my region are seeing 10-16 percent of their take home pay go to fill the gas tank. Coupled with rising food prices and the costs of services, we need to be in crisis mode and go after these oil reserves on U.S. territory,” Rogers said. “The President’s action on this issue is needed to bring our policies in line with the needs of Americans.”
Rogers will continue to encourage the President to revoke the Executive memorandum and urge the President to work with Congress to increase the production of American energy.
# posted by Joe Kinzer @ 11:49 AM 
