Posted on 11/15/2011 10:53:05 AM PST by thackney
Citing an increase in domestic energy production and job creation, the House Natural Resources Committee proposed legislation Friday that would open up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for oil and natural gas production.
Committee Chairman Doc Hastings, of Washington, and Alaska Rep. Don Young announced plans to introduce the Alaskan Energy for American Jobs Act, which is part of the energy and infrastructure jobs bill announced by Ohio Rep. John Boehner in early November.
Officials said the act would open less than 3 percent of ANWR's 19 million acres in the North Slope, which the U.S. Geological Survey estimates contains at least 10.4 billion barrels of oil and at peak production can yield nearly 1.5 million barrels of oil per day -- more than the current daily U.S. imports from Saudi Arabia. The area was specifically set aside for energy production by Congress and President Jimmy Carter.
"ANWR is a site that is easily accessible, has great potential and is one of America's most highly concentrated areas of energy resources," Hastings said. "An investment in America's energy security is an investment job creation and infrastructure projects that will benefit every American without job destroying tax increases."
The committee held an oversight hearing in September with local Alaskans vocalizing their support for the bill, saying the plan "benefits local communities, tribes, businesses, Alaska and the nation."
Young said the Highway Trust Fund is struggling "to stay in the black" and believes the Alaskan Energy for American Jobs Act will provide new sources of revenue to fund infrastructure projects.
"This is a common sense plan; the revenue generated from drilling in ANWR will help keep the Highway Trust Fund from defaulting and will create jobs at the same time," Young said.
Carey Hall, an Ice Road Truck Drive with Carlile Transportation Systems believes the plan will keep the Trans-Alaska Pipeline from shutting down, securing jobs for decades to come.
"ANWR is not a band aid for our debt and economy; it is a long term sustainable solution," Ice Hall said during the oversight hearing.
Environmentalists aren't sold on the plan though, saying the benefits are exaggerated. In an interview with the Associated Press on Nov. 11, Pamela Miller said the "legislation is dead on arrival" and it proposes a "false solution to a real crisis." Sierra Club Alaska community organizer Lindsey Hajduk told the AP the connection to jobs is "weak".
Technological advancements have improved the safety of energy production while also lessening environmental impacts of drilling, such as using one drilling platform to cover a 28,000 foot radius -- larger than the size of Washington D.C.
"ANWR would be a great opportunity for the environmental community and the oil industry to work closely together and show what American technology and ingenuity could do," Alaska District Council of Laborers (ADCL) Tim Sharp said in the oversight hearing. ADCL represents approximately 5,000 Alaskan union members.
Fenton Okomailak Rexford, Tribal Administrator for the Native Village of Katovik, said development of the North Slope will keep his community alive by sustaining a local school and continuing to provide search and rescue, police and fire protection.
"We would not favor development of the Coastal Plain unless we were confident that development can occur without jeopardizing our way of life. Responsible development of ANWR is a matter of self-determination for my people," Rexford said. "Development of the Coastal Plain of ANWR is a win-win situation for the American people, particularly for those of us who call this area home."
The bill is expected to move through the House in the coming weeks. The Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources is set to hear testimony Nov. 18.
I predict Obama will veto this bill.
That is if it even passes the Senate.
Was sitting here thinking about Free Republic and how it has contributed to sanity in this nation. consider the TVs that are still functional not having been shot, the walls without holes punched in them, the many small children who have not yet learned profanities. This is all due to Jim and Free Republic lending us a megaphone to shout our frustrations at the world. So get off your wallets people, put your money where your mouth is and help us pay for that megaphone. our sanity depends on this.
Respectfully
W.W.SMITH
This is toast in an Obama/Reid government.
But get it as far as possible and make them show their colors (puke green).
Consider the TVs that used to get 8 or 10 stations reliably without paying for cable or satellite. Now with a converter box or even a new TV I can get a few more stations, but every time a plane passes by, or even when someone walks in or out of the room or through a room overhead or underneath the station goes fuzzy or blanks out altogether. I wonder how many people would like to shoot the people who brought us this TV improvement???
We sure could use the income it would generate for Washington state. We are broke here.
But Senator Pattycakes is on the super committee and she is best buds with the Obummers, apparently, so not likely to happen.
Better to just flail away here, threatening to fire cops and firefighters than to even contemplate bringing in money.
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