FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Isakson, Chambliss Urge Obama to Utilize Offshore Oil and Gas Resources

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., and Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., today joined with 32 of their Senate Republican colleagues in calling on President Obama to complete as expeditiously as possible the Administration’s five-year plan for offshore oil and gas development.

“Environmentally responsible exploration of our offshore oil and natural gas resources is a critical part of a comprehensive policy that will enable the United States to become energy independent,” Isakson said. “I hope President Obama will move quickly to utilize these resources, which are important to our national security and economic well-being.”

“If America is serious about energy independence, then we must take steps toward developing available domestic resources as part of a comprehensive energy policy,” said Chambliss. “We have the technology to explore for offshore resources in an environmentally safe way, and I urge President Obama to take advantage of this opportunity in an expeditious manner.”

The full text of the letter is below:

Dear Mr. President:

Decreasing our nation’s dependence on foreign oil was a prominent part of your campaign energy platform and has our full support.  In addition to improved energy efficiency and the development of renewable resources, tapping new domestic sources of conventional energy will help relieve stress on family budgets, put Americans to work, and free us from dangerous and unstable foreign regimes.  To achieve these substantial benefits, we urge you to limit any delay and complete as expeditiously as possible your Administration’s five-year plan for offshore oil and gas development.

Experts have estimated that our Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) contains roughly 100 billion barrels of untapped oil. Combined, production occurring off of our Atlantic, Pacific, Gulf and Alaska coasts could displace OPEC imports for approximately 50 years.   These areas also contain tremendous reserves of clean burning natural gas – enough supply to last for decades.  Production of these resources will help keep energy prices low for consumers and businesses.  Conversely, restricting access will burden individuals and our economy by keeping prices higher than they need to be.

The federal government is responsible for the prudent stewardship of the natural resources that lie beneath our public lands and the OCS. Failure to utilize these valuable resources has left America overly dependent on foreign countries and threatened our energy, economic, and national security.  We can no longer continue on this unsustainable path of self-imposed debility. 

Decades of experience with modern drilling technology show that it is possible to balance the production of domestic resources and the protection of our environment.  An affirmative decision by you not to reinstate the Presidential Moratorium on U.S. offshore oil production, along with your leadership in delivering a new offshore drilling plan in an expeditious manner, will benefit all Americans.  We also encourage you to continue the practice of revenue sharing with producing States in order to return a fair share of royalties to them and maximize the resources brought to market. 

We thank you for your consideration of this important issue.

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