Pallone Denounces Bush Administration for Initiating Oil & Gas Leasing Program in Protected Waters

Statement

PALLONE DENOUNCES BUSH ADMINISTRATION FOR INITIATING OIL & GAS LEASING PROGRAM IN PROTECTED WATERS

U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following statement today denouncing the Bush administration's announcement to initiate a new leasing program for oil and gas development in federal offshore waters that includes the waters protected under an existing 26 year moratorium.

The moratorium clearly prohibits federal funding from being used to "conduct oil and natural gas preleasing, leasing, or related activities" in the areas covered by the moratorium. The administration's action today would violate the intent of this prohibition by allowing several rounds of public comment and environmental reviews of the Outer Continental Shelf, including the waters off the coast of New Jersey.

"Today's action by the Bush administration is nothing more than one more giant handout to Big Oil. The new leasing program blatantly violates the intent of the current moratorium on offshore drilling and is a huge waste of taxpayer money.

"If President Bush was really interested in providing some immediate relief at the gas pump, he would tap the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and force oil companies to drill on land they currently lease. He should also reconsider his veto threat of legislation that would reign in out-of-control speculation. Instead of providing real solutions to America's energy crisis, President Bush is focused on lining the pockets of Big Oil."

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