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Legislation Would Remove Offshore Drilling Ban
This week the House of Representatives will be voting on whether to lift the 25-year old ban on drilling in ecologically sensitive areas of America’s coastlines. H.R. 4761, the “Deep Ocean Energy Resources Act”, would remove the ban on oil and gas development off the West coast, East Coast, and Florida coastlines.
We need your help to stop this hand out to the oil and gas industry, an expensive and potentially ecologically-damaging boondoggle. Please send the letter below urging your Representative to vote “No” on H.R. 4761.
| Sample Letter for Campaign |
Subject: Vote No on HR 4761
Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,
I am writing to ask you to vote "no" on H.R. 4761, the "Deep Ocean Energy Resources Act" when it is considered on the House floor this week.
H.R. 4761 will lead to the unnecessary opening of protected areas of our West coast, East Coast, and Florida coastline to oil and gas development, at a time when huge reserves of natural gas within the Outer Continental Shelf are presently available for development. According to the Minerals Management Service, over 328 TRILLION cubic feet of natural gas -- enough to fill America's needs for the next decade -- are already available for development. And, the industry is sitting on 33,000,000 acres of leases that it hasn't developed. Enactment of H.R. 4761 will not lead to lower gas and oil prices, but it will lead to control of our coastlines by the oil and gas industry.
The bill is also fiscally irresponsible -- the Bush Administration has estimated that, if enacted, the bill will add $69 billion to the federal budget deficit.
And, we don't need to provide an entitlement program for the oil and gas industry to raid the federal Treasury if they don't get the drilling permits they demand from the Department of the Interior.
The best way to lower the costs of energy and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels is to enact legislation that will lead to the more efficient use of energy, encourage the development of benign renewable technologies, and raise the mileage standards for our cars and trucks. Yet, Congress refuses to take the serious steps needed to wean our nation's economy way from our heavy dependence on fossil fuels, and instead continues to cater to the desires of the oil and gas industry, by considering bills like H.R. 4761.
H.R. 4761 is a bad deal for America: It will unnecessarily put at risk protections for our coastlines that have long been in place, will lead to even larger federal budget deficits, provided an unmerited and unnecessary new entitlement program for the oil and gas industry, and lead to even more control of our federal onshore land and waters by the oil and gas industry. Please vote "no" on H.R. 4761.
Sincerely,
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Campaign Launched:
June 26, 2006
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About the Legislation
The bill contains provisions that could lead to the reckless development of oil shale in Colorado, Utah and Wyoming by imposing less than fair market value royalties on commercial oil shale development on federal lands in those states. Another provision establishes an entitlement program for federal oil and gas lessees to be compensated from the Treasury if their drilling permit applications are not reviewed by the Bureau of Land Management within 10 days of receipt, or if other deadlines are missed.
This bill is so poorly conceived that even the Bush Administration has objected to aspects of it, noting that it could cost taxpayers over 69 billion dollars.
It’s critically important that your member of Congress knows you object to this legislation. Please click here to take immediate action.
Background
The outer continental shelf is rich in marine life, one reason why, our western, eastern and Florida coastlines have been protected from oil and gas development since the 1980s. But the oil and gas industry is pushing its allies in Congress to remove those protections. . The bill, H.R. 4761, would transfer control of leasing decisions on the federal Outer Continental Shelf to the coastal states, and encourages them to lease along coastlines by promising states up to 75% of revenues from drilling..
Most OCS Oil and Gas Already Under Lease
Most of the natural gas occurring on the OCS -- over 328 TRILLION cubic feet (more than a ten year supply at current consumption rates) is currently available for leasing and development.
Incredibly, just 17% of the area under lease is in production, giving rise to the question of just why the oil and gas industry must have access to these last protected areas.
Bill Would Fast-Track Drilling on Western Lands
The legislation also would put enormous pressure on federal land managers to issue drilling permits at a time when permitting on western lands has already been drastically accelerated. Under terms of the legislation, industry would have to be compensated if drilling applications are not acted upon in as little as ten days.
And the legislation could lead to leasing of western lands for oil shale development at less than fair market value.
H.R. 4761 is little more than a boondoggle for the oil and gas industries, paid for by a federal treasury that is staggering under record deficits This legislation will unnecessarily put at risk protections for our ecologically-significant coastlines that have long been in place, will lead to even larger federal budget deficits, provide an unmerited and unnecessary new entitlement program for the oil and gas industry, and lead to even more control of our federal onshore land and waters by the oil and gas industry.
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