Hatch, Utah Gov. Herbert: Obama Energy Policies Costing Jobs In Utah

Press Release

Utah and other Western states are losing jobs and business as a result of the Obama administration's misguided energy policies, Sen. Orrin Hatch said today at a joint congressional hearing by the Senate and House Western caucuses.

At the hearing, Hatch (R-Utah) and Utah Gov. Gary Herbert focused on job losses in the Beehive State that have resulted from the Obama administration's actions, namely the withdrawal of 77 energy leases by Interior Secretary Ken Salazar.

"The 77 energy leases had already been subject to years of environmental and management review by the relevant government agencies and had already been auctioned off by the Bureau of Land Management," Hatch said at the hearing.

Hatch also introduced a short video of Uintah County Commissioner Mike McKee, who estimated the federal government's actions to withdraw the leases and lock up oil exploration on the state's public lands has cost about 3,000 jobs in his area.

"Here we have a government action that has destroyed the livelihoods of 3,000 workers who can no longer care for their spouses and children," the senator said.

Hatch also pointed to a survey by the Independent Petroleum Association of Mountain States of energy companies in the Rocky Mountain region, which he said found that "73 percent of respondents have shifted investment from federal to private lands" and resulted in $708 million being redirected to other areas in 2010.

"This reduces the return to the American taxpayer for energy resources owned by all Americans, and causes situations of drainage of federal minerals from adjacent state and private lands," Hatch said.

Energy development on federal land generates revenue, half of which goes to the states and local counties and the remainder to support the federal budget.

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