House Democrats have conceded defeat to the Republicans on the issue of offshore drilling and oil shale recovery. October 1 will be celebrated as Energy Freedom Day.
Before we start popping the campaign corks and dusting off the SUV, American consumers should be pre-warned that the most disliked of special interest groups could hold the nation hostage to perpetually high gas prices. That’s right, the lawyers are preparing their move.
As early as Tuesday morning (September 23) House Democrats slipped a measure in a big spending bill that would have permanently banned exploration and development in the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). Voters, like many SBE Council members, called House offices demanding that this stealthy provision be removed from the crevices of the gigantic spending bill. House Democrats took notice, and cried “Uncle” – they will now allow the OCS moratorium to expire as scheduled at the very end of September.
This is obviously good news, but a legal embargo on our nation’s most needed resources is about to take hold.
As Rep. John Shadegg (R-AZ) has so meticulously documented in a recent report, radical environmental groups have been blocking or significantly delaying oil leases and production through hundreds of legal challenges. He notes that these groups have challenged every lease in the Chukchi Sea (487 leases); the entire 2007-2012 5-year national OCS leasing program; as well as challenged exploration activities in every lease in the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas (748 total leases). The groups have filed these challenges under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), as well as various other laws. (Other leases have been challenged as well.)
In sum, all of these law suits are currently pending. In other words, no oil or gas is being produced by these leases that have recently been issued by the government.
This is the next phase – the playbook, if you will -- that radical environmental groups will follow to deny Americans a more affordable and abundant supply of energy. There is no doubt that they will employ this strategy as a way to stop America from exploring and developing in the new areas that will come off-limits as a result of the expiration of the current ban.
That is why Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC) – the original champion of Energy Freedom Day –has put forth another proactive initiative in the Senate to stop the radical environmentalists from sticking it to hurting American families and small businesses. In a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), DeMint writes:
“I was pleased to learn that Democrats have reluctantly decided to allow the bans on offshore and oil shale energy exploration to expire next week, giving Americans the freedom to access their own energy supply. This is a major step forward.
Now we must enact legislation that directs the Administration to expedite leasing in these new areas, arranges for appropriate state revenue sharing, and prevents frivolous lawsuits from stalling critical energy exploration. If Congress is serious about increasing our domestic energy supply, expediting production is a critical step in achieving that goal. I will ask the Senate to adopt this legislation this week, and I hope you will not block this important economic stimulus.
It has been suggested that Democrats plan to use environmental lawsuits to block exploration until they can reinstate these energy bans after the November elections. This would be a major mistake. I hope you will work with me to protect and expedite access to this new energy supply.”
Radical environmental groups and lawyers are ready to implement their expanded blockade on American-made energy, which means average citizens must continue to speak up on this most critical issue. When Senator DeMint offers his legislation to expedite oil and gas leases and stop the lawyers from prolonging our pain at the pump, voters must weigh in with their U.S. Senators.
Put this number on your speed dial: 202-224-3121. It’s the Capitol Hill switchboard. Get ready to take action! Better yet, call your Senators today -- tell them to support DeMint’s efforts to stop the lawyers from blocking efforts to bring more American energy supply to our market.
Karen Kerrigan
President & CEO
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