House Natural Resources Committee Presents 10 Step Program for Job Creation

Here is the latest from the House Natural Resources Committee, under Chairman Doc Hastings. Despite the need for energy independence, President Obama remains on a course to destroy energy production and the jobs created in the industry because of a tired and failing political ideology.

In mid-September, the House Natural Resources Committee held an oversight hearing to explore opportunities for job creation through new and expanded energy and mineral production. The Committee also reviewed the Obama Administration regulations and policies that have locked-up America’s vast natural resources and sent American jobs overseas. At a time when the American people are clamoring for jobs, one sector that President Obama seems to consistently overlook is domestic energy production. According to the Committee, increasing permitting efficiencies, rolling back burdensome federal regulations, or opening new areas up for responsible energy development all come at little cost to the Federal government. More importantly, the measures will have substantial impact on economic growth and job opportunities nationwide—while also decreasing our nation’s dependence on foreign energy resources. Energy and minerals are vital to our economy and increased production will be vital to getting the nation’s economy back on track.

During the hearing, in advance of the president’s “jobs” speech, House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Hastings (R-WA) offered the following 10 specific ideas to remove government barriers to private sector job creation in America’s domestic energy industry:

1. Allow people in the Gulf of Mexico to return to work.
2. Resume canceled or delayed offshore energy leases.
3. Lift the ban on new offshore drilling.
4. Increase production in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska.
5. Allow production in a small portion of ANWR.
6. Provide certainty to U.S. businesses looking to develop our U.S. oil shale resources.
7. Eliminate bureaucratic roadblocks to renewable energy production on federal lands.
8. Streamline the process for approving offshore and onshore wind projects.
9. Reduce redundant steps that impede geothermal production.
10.Do not ban the use of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing on federal lands.

The House Natural Resources Committee has also scheduled a hearing this week on Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) and its potential for jobs, energy and deficit reduction. According to the Chairman, responsible energy production on less than three percent of ANWR's total land could create thousands of jobs and $150 billion or more in revenue over the life of production.

“Faced with record deficits, near double-digit unemployment and high gasoline prices, lawmakers should not take any job-creating options off the table,” said Chairman Hastings. “While this hearing will specifically examine the benefits of developing a small portion of ANWR, we must seize this opportunity to create new jobs and generate new revenue by carefully considering all options for new onshore and offshore energy production. The Joint Committee will consider a wide range of proposals on how to meet their goal of $1.5 trillion in savings, and I hope they recognize that increased American energy production will generate billions in new revenue, without raising taxes, at no cost to the government.”