Local Gulf Business Leaders Testify on Lingering Economic and Energy Effects One Year After President's Moratorium Lifted

Statement

The House Natural Resources Committee today held an oversight hearing on "One Year after President Obama's Gulf of Mexico 6-Month Moratorium Officially Lifted: Examining the Lingering Impacts on Jobs, Energy Production and Local Economies." A year after the official moratorium was lifted in the Gulf, permitting, energy production and economic activities still have not returned to pre-moratorium levels.

"While I recognize that some permits indeed are being issued, there are facts and data that demonstrate recovery is moving at a pace that continues to hamper job creation and the economy," said Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings. "Permitting activity in the Gulf has dramatically declined under the Obama Administration and has operated at lows that equate to hurricane-induced slowdowns…The livelihood of communities and businesses throughout the Gulf depend on safe and responsible offshore energy production. It's been a year and a half since the Deepwater Horizon incident, and a year since the President's moratorium was officially lifted. It's time to get people back to work and get the Gulf's economy growing again."

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