Bicameral, bipartisan lawmakers urge expanded leasing

E&E News
By Phil Taylor
August 1, 2014

Coalitions of lawmakers in both chambers and from both parties this week urged Interior Secretary Sally Jewell to open new federal waters to oil and gas leasing in the department's next five-year leasing plan, citing bipartisan support in Congress and from coastal governors.

Today, a coalition of more than 160 House Republicans sent a letter to Jewell urging her to lease waters "with the greatest resource potential as well as areas such as the mid- and south-Atlantic, or the Arctic," as part of Interior's 2017-2022 plan.

And yesterday, a letter by Senate Energy and Natural Resources Chairwoman Mary Landrieu (D-La.) and Democratic colleagues Mark Warner of Virginia, Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Mark Begich of Alaska urged Jewell to craft a plan that "allows for the consideration of exploration for all areas with reasonable potential for future resource development."

The two letters come months after Interior kicked off a three-year planning process to decide whether to open the Atlantic Ocean, eastern Gulf of Mexico, Arctic Ocean or other waters to leasing. The plan will largely set the offshore drilling agenda for the next administration.

There are likely to be many more congressional letters and comments on the five-year plan. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management this week extended the comment deadline two weeks to mid-August.

A spokesman for House Natural Resources Committee ranking member Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) could not be reached yesterday evening. Earlier this week, a coalition of 21 environmental groups sent a letter to Jewell warning that expanded offshore drilling could undermine President Obama's progress combating climate change, according to The Hill.

BOEM's initial decision on which waters will remain in the running for the final plan is expected by early 2015.

The administration has already opened the mid- and south Atlantic to seismic oil and gas surveying, a move some stakeholders believe signals momentum toward including the Atlantic in the next five-year plan.

Both Landrieu and Rep. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) -- opponents in a tight Louisiana Senate race -- touted their support for offshore drilling yesterday.

"Areas that have not seen the direct benefits of offshore development are anxious to reap them," Landrieu wrote in her letter, which was distributed in a media release. Landrieu also touted the need for "equitable distribution" of offshore drilling revenues to coastal states.

Cassidy, who helped spearhead the House letter, said in a statement yesterday that "the next oil and gas leasing plan must expand lease sales to encourage energy development and let Louisianans take advantage of our natural resources." He touted House-passed legislation to expand offshore energy production and lift the revenue sharing cap with Gulf states.