| WASHINGTON, D.C. ...Oil and gas prices are still at an all-time high, with national averages ranging between $3.50 - $4.00/gallon. A year ago, we feared a time when crude oil could reach $100 a barrel – and now this seems to be the low-end price. Unfortunately, energy analysts are saying that prices at the pump are not likely to decrease any time soon.
This Congress has had ample opportunity to enact responsible energy policies that increase domestic production, promote the use of clean coal and energy efficient technologies, increase the availability of renewable energy, and decrease regulatory barriers to the building of new, safe nuclear power plants and oil refineries. I voted not to adjourn in August – and I will continue to vote not to adjourn until Congress enacts meaningful legislation that will actually do something to bring down costs – not just pretend to do something.
Increasing domestic production of oil and gas could help reduce prices at the gas pump. I recently introduced legislation, H.R. 6579, to transfer the Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to the State of Alaska for expeditious and environmentally responsible exploration and development of oil. This bill is totally different from the multiple attempts to drill on ANWR over the past 15 years. If Congress won’t vote to drill in ANWR, let’s give it back to the State of Alaska whose people can and will drill. Developing just 2,000 acres on the Coastal Plain of the 20-million-acre refuge could yield anywhere from 10 to 16 billion barrels of oil, which would equate to 25 to 30 years of Middle East imports.
Additionally, there are estimated reserves of 8.5 billion barrels of oil and 29.3 trillion cubic feet of natural gas in the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). Most of this occurs in areas 3 to 50 miles from shore. I am convinced that we have the technology to drill in these areas in an environmentally sound way, and we should allow our domestic producers the opportunity to prove it.
While the high price of crude oil is the biggest determinant of the price of a gallon of gasoline, the cost of turning oil into gasoline has also risen in recent years, due in part to costly federal regulations on refinery operations and expansions. No new refineries have been built in the U.S. since the 1970s, and while existing refineries have expanded, they haven’t been able to keep pace with increasing gasoline demand.
Nuclear energy has also seen a surge in recent years as people realize that it is a clean and safe source of energy. But as with building a new refinery, the permitting and construction process is extremely expensive, and there are still significant risks to venture capitalists who would otherwise invest.
Congress needs to reduce uncertainty in the regulatory process for permitting and construction of new nuclear plants and oil refineries by streamlining the process and requiring the Environmental Protection Agency to issue its rulings within a realistic time frame. Another way to help expedite the building of new refineries and nuclear plants is to open closed military bases as potential building sites.
Energy legislation that I introduced (H.R. 2483) promotes carbon capture technology, vehicle and building efficiency, and next-generation biofuel technologies. Some provisions from my bill were included in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA), which the President signed into law in December. Also included in EISA was the first increase in vehicle efficiency standards in 30 years, requiring automakers to boost fleet-wide gas mileage to 35 mpg by the year 2020. I think the boost should have been set for the year 2010 or 2012. More energy efficient vehicles, along with a growing market for hybrids and flex-fuel vehicles, will help reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil and bring down energy costs.
This year marks the culmination of a legislative project I spearheaded in the House, creating an R&D program to recover oil and natural gas from ultra-deepwater and other onshore terrains. This program was included in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and is being carried out through the Research Partnership to Secure Energy for America (RPSEA), which recently awarded the first nineteen projects.
Americans need relief at the pump, and Congress needs to help bring down energy costs in the short-term, while recognizing the importance of all energy sources for the long-term. Providing Americans with affordable energy should not be a partisan issue. I am committed to promoting policies that will help all Americans have access to clean, affordable, and reliable sources of energy for decades to come.
|
![[News from the HALL of Congress]](release_hed.jpg)