Largest Energy Consumer Advocate Applauds Committee for Highlighting Importance of Expanding Offshore Wind Development; Shares Concerns with Restricting Offshore Oil and Gas Development in Gulf
Washington, D.C. — Today the House Committee on Natural Resources held a legislative hearing entitled, “Ocean Climate Action: Solutions to the Climate Crisis,” where committee members heard testimony about H.R. 8632, the “Ocean-Based Climate Solutions Act.” Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA) Federal Affairs Advisor Michael Zehr released the following statement:
“As part of our long-standing approach to solving our evolving energy mix, CEA strongly supports the Committee’s commitment to expanding offshore wind development, and we look forward to working with Congress to improve laws, rules and regulations enabling the construction of modern energy infrastructure. These projects will create thousands of jobs while improving both the affordability and reliability of power for families and small businesses. Furthermore, modern energy infrastructure can help improve our environment by improving efficiency and reducing emissions, including those contributing to climate change.”
“Since we support an inclusive approach to energy development, we oppose efforts within the current legislation to halt oil and gas development offshore. Such restrictions would destroy jobs and harm our efforts to achieve energy independence while achieving few, if any, environmental benefits. Oil and gas development in the Gulf of Mexico is some of the most efficient, highly regulated, and least carbon-intensive development in the world. Simply shutting this down would harm American workers while rewarding less efficient and less regulated foreign suppliers who may not share our commitment to the environment or human rights.”
