Hey folks,
This week, one article stands out from the rest. This is an article that more than just one of you pointed out to me. I also have a bit of inside information to share about this.
The article is from the Washington Times on Wednesday, Democrats say no to drilling ban A top House Democrat on Tuesday said his party will not push to reinstate a ban on offshore oil and natural-gas drilling next year.
House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer of Maryland said there will be serious discussion as to the "parameters" to which offshore drilling will be pursued, but Democrats will not try to backtrack after grudgingly giving in to Republican demands to allow the 26-year ban to expire this fall.
"I don't think there is any intent at this point in time ... to return to the same position we were in" before the ban was lifted, Mr. Hoyer told a gathering of reporters Tuesday at the National Press Club in Washington.
Now what you may not know, is that the New President of API, Jack N. Gerard, sent this letter
to Congress on Tuesday, November 18, 2008. Here it is.November 18, 2008
Dear Member of Congress:
As the 110th Congress returns for its final session, we are at an historic turning point for our nation and its energy policies. As the new president and chief executive officer of the American Petroleum Institute, I want to pledge API’s continued commitment to work with the Congress to ensure future energy security and economic prosperity for the United States.
The current economic crisis is the uppermost concern of all Americans, but we cannot put our nation on the path to recovery if we do not address our energy challenges. Energy drives the U.S. economy and supports the American standard of living. Energy provides American jobs, higher incomes, economic growth, and competitiveness in global markets. If we fail to address energy as an economic issue, we will have neither energy security nor economic prosperity.
The economic crisis makes the development of oil and natural gas resources more urgent than ever. The U.S. oil and natural gas industry supports approximately 6 million jobs – 1.8 million people directly employed by the industry, with more than 4 million indirect jobs. Expanded access creates more job opportunities – and many of these jobs pay more than double the national average. In addition, oil and natural gas development on federal lands, both onshore and offshore, means billions of dollars for the U.S. Treasury and state governments in the form of royalties, bonus bids, rentals, severance taxes, corporate income taxes and property taxes.
Now that the campaigns are over, the time is right for a fresh start on energy. The American people have shown overwhelming support for increased domestic oil and natural gas development. Election Day exit polls found two-thirds of voters favor offshore drilling where it is not currently allowed.
The Congress took an important step in lifting the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) leasing moratoria off the east and west coasts of the lower-48 states for the first time in more than two decades. But much more remains to be done. Congress should open up areas of the Eastern and Central Gulf of Mexico that remain off-limits – and take further steps to more quickly develop our offshore resources. Moreover, Congress should reject any attempts to re-impose the moratoria that were lifted.
According to U.S. Energy Information Administration projections, oil and natural gas will play leading roles in meeting our energy needs for decades to come, even with greater reliance on alternative energy and increased energy efficiency. The U.S. oil and natural gas industry has the expertise and technology to meet the massive and varied energy needs of U.S. consumers. However, to meet these needs, significant capital investment will be required by the oil and gas industry. Harmful, counter-productive energy policies, such as higher taxes targeting oil and natural gas companies, will deter needed investment, discouraging new domestic oil and natural gas production and expansion of refining capacity, and tilting the competitive playing field for global energy resources against U.S.-based oil and natural gas companies.
API is confident that by working together – the private sector, government, and consumers – we can meet the energy challenges our nation faces and achieve a prosperous economy and secure energy future. We stand ready to assist you in whatever way we can as the Congress addresses these issues.
Sinceley
Signed Jack N. Gerard
President and Chief Executive Officer
So API CEO Mr. Gerard sends this letter on the 18th, and Steny Hoyer makes these statements on the 19th. Good job Mr. Gerard. It's easy to be bold when you are right. It's easy to take on Congress when you know 80 percent of Americans are on your side. {Smile} The Congress KNOWS it. Now according to the Washington Times piece.
The American Petroleum Institute (API), the main U.S. trade association for the oil and natural-gas industry, said it was encouraged by Mr. Hoyer's words, but also cautioned Democrats against tweaking the rules governing offshore drilling."When they're talking about 'parameters,' we should point out that putting arbitrary limits on development, whether that's [prohibiting drilling within] 100 miles from shore, or whatever they're thinking, could take some of the most promising domestic resources off the table," said API spokeswoman spokesman Cathy Landry.
"So we would caution them to really look at what they're doing and learn about what's out there before they take action. It could potentially keep some of our nation's best prospects from being developed."
ABSOLUTELY!
API also released this.
WASHINGTON – The American Petroleum Institute today issued the following statement:
“We believe the position outlined to news reporters by House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer – that the Democratic leadership would not seek to re-impose the ban on oil and natural gas leasing in federal waters – is the right approach. The American public has made clear its strong support for increased access to untapped domestic oil and natural gas resources. At least two-thirds of Americans in recent exit polling said they supported offshore drilling. Neither Congress nor the next administration should set unreasonable, arbitrary limits on leasing because such restrictions could remove some of the nation’s most promising oil and natural gas prospects for development, and the industry has proven it can develop these resources in an environmentally safe manner. The industry stands ready to help put America’s vast energy resources to good use to strengthen our nation’s economy and energy security, generate billions of dollars for the benefit of our federal and state treasuries and provide good jobs for Americans across the country.”
Back to the Washington Times article and another I told you so.
The lifting of the ban allows oil and gas leasing on most of the outer continental shelf - three miles to 200 miles offshore - and expanded oil-shale development in the West - areas that had been off limits.
Gasoline prices have dropped nearly in half since the ban was lifted.
It KEEPS GOING DOWN. It keeps going down because THEY {Big Oil Cartels, Traders, ETC.} KNOW that we could start producing our own in less than two years. They were counting on Obama and the Democrats REINSTATING the Ban. Now they just said NO?
Then I also have to give Steny credit for actually telling the truth here. He said this.
Mr. Hoyer also said he wouldn't recommend that President-elect Barack Obama give a "Kennedyesque" declaration for the U.S. to stop importing foreign oil in 10 or 15 years.
"I don't think he ought to make that definitive statement because I'm not sure if that's possible," Mr. Hoyer said. "What is possible, however, is to very substantially reduce our reliance on petroleum products."
Yeah, like saying that all this fictitious alternative sources of energy, that DOES NOT EXIST YET, are going to free us. Right? All these "Green Jobs" producing???? WHAT? workers diligently???? Doing WHAT? Cars, Homes, Plans, Trains, and other NON-ENERGY product will run on and be made of WHAT?
No folks, we MUST go with what we HAVE. What is REAL. What is AVAILABLE NOW. We can, and ARE working on AE right now. Meanwhile, lets increase the Job Market, lower and keep Gas Prices affordable for all, and do what we CAN do NOW.
Peter
Sources:
Washington Times- Democrats say no to drilling ban
API- American Petroleum Institute
Note: "From The Emails" is a weekly segment in the Friday edition of the OPNtalk Blog. If you care to send in News Articles, Comments, Stories, or anything else you may wish to share, please feel free to send it to opntalk@aim.com As always, you never know what you are going to see here.
1 comment:
The free market is an amazing thing.
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