Vitter Applauds President's Call to Remove Offshore Drilling Bans around U.S.

Press Release

Vitter Applauds President's Call to Remove Offshore Drilling Bans around U.S.

Introduces Bill to Increase Domestic Energy Production

U.S. Sen. David Vitter today applauded President Bush's call for Congress to remove federal drilling moratoria that have been in effect since 1981 and cover more than 80 percent of America's Outer Continental Shelf.

"Every day, gas prices we believed would only be seen in Europe are staring back at us at the pump. Basic economics says that we must increase our own domestic energy supply if we want to lower gas prices and free ourselves from untrustworthy foreign energy sources, " said Vitter. "Let's empower each state to decide what is right for its coast and its energy needs, instead of allowing a slim majority of strict environmentalist policymakers to decide for them."

Today, Vitter also introduced the Energy Needed Offshore Under Gas Hikes Act. The ENOUGH Act would trigger increased energy exploration off a state's own coast once the price of regular gasoline reaches $5 a gallon. Once the ENOUGH Act's trigger is reached, it allows a governor, with the concurrence of the state legislature, to petition for increased energy exploration on the Outer Continental Shelf.

"This bill creates considerable benefits for states that choose this course of action," Vitter said. "It will increase our national energy supply, reduce our dependence on foreign oil and help finance important state conservation efforts, like coastal preservation for Louisiana. We need to take bold action on behalf of the millions of American families who are struggling to meet the growing cost of gas and energy, and this bill does just that."

Vitter's ENOUGH Act provides revenue sharing for new producing areas in the following distributions: 45 percent of new offshore revenues will go to the general fund of the U.S. Treasury; 37.5 percent to eligible producing states for new producing areas and 12.5 percent to provide to states for Land and Water Conservation Fund. The ENOUGH Act also distributes 5 percent of new offshore revenues to states like Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas and Alabama that have historically carried America's energy production burden when other states, prior to the ENOUGH Act, have not drilled.

"Increasing gas prices continue to be of significant concern to all Americans, and families throughout Louisiana are struggling with these higher costs," said Vitter. "As these costs continue to rise, we need to take steps to reduce our dependence on foreign energy sources and provide American families with the relief they need."

Vitter's bill also provides that the governor of a state may distinguish natural gas only when petitioning for increased energy exploration activities.

He has offered an amendment to similar the ENOUGH Act to this year's budget conference report in the U.S. Senate that received 44 votes of support.

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