This is the type of legislation that Congress needs to pass. Legislation that reverses prior legislation that placed moratoriums on offshore oil exploration…

NEWS

For immediate release: June 10, 2008
Contact: Greg Schnacke, Americans for American Energy, 866-416-0659

Outer Continental Shelf Energy Is Key To Reducing Support For Foreign Terrorists, Group Says

Amendment In Congress This Week Would Also Help Reduce Gasoline Prices

LAKEWOOD, Co. (June 10, 2008) — Congress can strike a blow against foreign terror groups by opening up America’s Outer Continental Shelf to energy development, thereby reducing America’s dependence on foreign oil and cutting the indirect funding of terror groups by nations that sell us their oil.

“Tapping America’s huge reserve of deep ocean energy helps us fight terrorism and increases our domestic energy supply, which will help put downward pressure on gasoline prices,” said Greg Schnacke, President of Americans for American Energy, a national grassroots group that promotes greater domestic energy production and less reliance on foreign energy.

Schnacke called on Members of Congress to support an amendment to be offered in a Congressional committee tomorrow by U.S. Rep. John Peterson (R-PA) to lift the current moratorium on energy development in the Outer Continental Shelf areas.

“America’s deep ocean energy reserves are estimated to hold more than 600 trillion cubic feet of recoverable natural gas resources and 100 billion barrels of oil,” Schnacke said.  “That’s enough natural gas to heat 100 million homes and enough oil to replace Middle East imports for decades.”

“With Americans suffering at the gas pump and with higher energy bills, it’s a no-brainer that the OCS should be developed,” Schnacke said. “The technology exists to harvest this oil and natural gas in an environmental sound manner, and Congress needs to move forward and lift the anti-consumer roadblocks they have erected to this American energy.

The Peterson amendment would overturn a provision in a 1981 appropriations bill that established the current offshore leasing moratorium on energy exploration and production.

Schnacke noted that more than 80 percent of the oil and natural gas resources on the OCS are off-limits to exploration and production due to Congressional and other actions. But they are not off-limits to other countries, as Cuba has agreements with China and others that allow drilling only 50 miles from the coast of Florida. Cuba is taking advantage of a 1977 treaty that divided the Florida Straits to preserve each country’s economic rights.

“These are federal lands,” said Schnacke. “It’s amazing to me that other countries can reap the benefits of these resources just off our coasts, but we can’t,” Schnacke said.. “Our share of these resources belong to the American people and the American people need them. Higher energy costs are taking a toll on our economy and our hard-working families. They’re leading to higher costs for everything. Without access to the vast oil and gas resources of the Outer Continental Shelf, our domestic energy production will decline and costs will continue to increase. Our nation and our people can’t afford that.”

The Peterson amendment would allow states to opt into allowing drilling between 25 miles and 50 miles off their coasts. Between 50 and 100 miles, states would have to pass legislation to block drilling. Beyond 100 miles, drilling would be allowed.  Peterson and others in Congress have said opening the OCS is key to increasing the domestic energy supply and helping keep prices in check.

“In a period of time, we won’t compete in the global economy,” Peterson said of the economic damage to Americans of higher energy costs. “We have the potential to become a second-rate nation.”

“Americans for American Energy has strong convictions regarding the need for this nation to develop and sustain a multi-dimensional federal energy policy,” Schnacke said. “Only through such a commitment can we assure our long-term national security and economic vitality.  Developing new supplies of oil and natural gas in America is essential to economic growth and to our nation’s energy security.”

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Contact: Greg Schnacke, 866-416-0659

Americans for American Energy
350 Indiana Street, Suite 640
Golden, CO 80401
info@americansforamericanenergy.org

Americans for American Energy is a good site to monitor the state of our domestic energy development. The following press release is yet another example of the politicians in Washington working against the interests of the American people and specifically for the special interest groups. This has got to stop or we’ll never gain our energy independence from our enemy’s.

NEWS
For immediate release: June 9, 2008
Contact: Greg Schnacke, 866-416-0659

Western Legislators Condemn Sen. Salazar For Trying To Block Oil Shale, Natural Gas Development In The West

Salazar effort ‘will directly help foreign terror groups,’ charges one Western legislator

DENVER, Co. (June 9, 2008) – While consumers battle $4-a-gallon gas prices, a single U.S. Senator is trying to block America from developing oil shale, an American resource that could single-handedly end America’s dependence on expensive foreign oil.

Colorado’s Ken Salazar (D) is reportedly trying to use the U.S. Defense Authorization Bill to put oil shale development in Colorado, Utah and Wyoming on permanent hold by blocking commercial oil shale leasing on public lands.

Salazar also plans to use the Defense Authorization bill to block the efficient development of an estimated nine trillion cubic feet of clean-burning natural gas in the U.S. Naval Oil Shale Reserve, located in Western Colorado.  That gas is enough to heat four million homes for 20 years.

“I fear that Ken Salazar has been misled by environmental extremists who don’t seem to care about seeing America come more energy independent,” said Wyoming State Senator Bill Vasey (D), Board Chairman of Americans for American Energy (AAE).  “The leaders of some of these groups actually want consumers to get hit with higher prices, because they believe that this is the only way to force people to conserve.  That’s not right.  We should be looking to increase the supply of American energy for America, which will help reduce the upward pressure on prices.”

“The U.S. Defense Authorization bill is not the place to be adding amendments that restrict the domestic energy production that our Armed Forces need,” Vasey added.  “This flies directly in the face of the reason for the creation of the U.S. Naval Oil Shale Reserves in the first place.”

“If Ken Salazar succeeds, consumers from coast-to-coast will end up getting two black eyes,” said Colorado State Senator Bill Cadman, a member of the Board of AAE.  “I can’t understand how anyone would hamstring America from becoming more energy independent at a time when prices are soaring.  This is simply inexcusable.”

“Blocking oil shale development from proceeding and bottling up natural gas in the Naval Oil Shale Reserve helps America’s enemies and will put more money directly into the pockets of terrorist groups that are trying to kill Americans right now,” said Utah State Representative Aaron Tilton.  “It’s just that simple.  This man is aiding and abetting the sworn enemies of our nation.  Whose side is he on?”

“We have American troops in harm’s way right now in part to defend America’s access to foreign oil, and to stabilize a situation in the Middle East that is in effect creating higher and higher fuel prices here at home,” said Utah State Representative Mike Noel (R).  “Using a defense bill to block responsible development of over a trillion barrels of oil from oil shale is not only wrong but it is exactly the kind of crackpot ideas the folks have come to expect from the out-of-touch Washington, D.C., crowd.

“The defense bill is about defending America, not making us more dependent on foreign oil and in effect weaker. Senator Salazar and every member of Congress should be rolling up their sleeves and looking at ways to tap into the 200 years of oil resources located within the boundaries of the United States, which makes us stronger as a nation.”

The Department of Defense Authorization Bill is expected to be called up Senate action as early as this week, according to Congressional sources.

Salazar championed action in Congress last year to place a commercial leasing moratorium for oil shale development, effectively stopping all meaningful research and development activity by private industry due to lack of commercial development potential.

Regarding the Naval Oil Shale Reserve, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management has adopted the most restrictive Resource Management Plan in its history, taking nearly seven years since Congress directed the agency to lease the NOSR for responsible oil and gas development.  Blocking leasing of the area could cost the federal government over $1 billion in lost lease bonus revenue and billions of dollars more over the life of the project in lost royalties.

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Contact: Greg Schnacke, 866-416-0659

Americans for American Energy
350 Indiana Street, Suite 640
Golden, CO 80401
info@americansforamericanenergy.org