WASHINGTON – Earlier today, the U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) announced the ban of offshore oil drilling in the eastern Gulf of Mexico and off the Atlantic and Pacific coasts as part of the next five-year outer continental shelf (OCS) plan.
David Holt, president of Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA), a non-profit, non-partisan organization that advocates an “all of the above” approach to securing, reliable energy, issued this statement:
“While we agree with Interior Secretary Ken Salazar that a continued review of the circumstances that led to the tragic Deepwater Horizon accident needs to be completed to ensure safe offshore production, today’s disappointing announcement is the wrong approach to creating a balanced commonsense national energy plan.
“On top of the “de facto” moratorium on both deep and shallow water drilling in the Gulf of Mexico and the state of Alaska, this administration continues to keep critical supplies of oil and natural gas off-limits that can be safely leveraged into more American jobs and secure, affordable energy supplies for struggling American families, consumers and small businesses.
“Banning offshore drilling in these areas will not create the jobs we desperately need or spur the economic development our citizens deserve. American consumers should be able to depend on their government for access to the energy resources they need, demand and rightfully own — energy that, if harnessed, could help invigorate the U.S. economy for decades to come, create millions of new jobs, billions in local revenue, and the prospect of long-term energy affordability.
“CEA asks Secretary Salazar to fulfill President Obama’s promise of realistically meeting our energy needs in all forms – wind, solar, oil, natural gas, biofuels, and nuclear — through expanded (and expedited) development of our natural resources. We must work together to create a robust national energy policy and secure our energy and economic future.”
