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U.S. Finalizes Arctic Drilling Rule

Seward Alaska

CEA President David Holt was quoted in The Maritime Executive about the importance of Arctic energy exploration.

The U.S. Department of Interior has unveiled its final regulations on drilling in the U.S. Arctic outer continental shelf. The rules set safety standards for exploratory drilling in Alaska’s Beaufort and Chukchi Seas. “In recent years, due in large part to bureaucratic red tape and a convoluted and ever-changing federal regulatory landscape associated with offshore energy development in the U.S. Arctic, Alaska has seen its economic and energy future darken in a hurry – and so has America,” says Consumer Energy Alliance President David Holt.

Read more – The Maritime Executive

Consumer Energy Alliance Statement on Final Arctic Drilling Rule

Trans Alaska Pipeline in Winter

In response to today’s Interior Department release of a final Arctic offshore exploratory drilling rule, Consumer Energy Alliance President David Holt issued the following statement:

“In recent years, due in large part to bureaucratic red tape and a convoluted and ever-changing federal regulatory landscape associated with offshore energy development in the U.S. Arctic, Alaska has seen its economic and energy future darken in a hurry – and so has America. Through its prescriptive requirements, including some that could increase safety and environmental risks, the final rule could further darken our future. As an expert advisory panel recently recommended to the U.S. Energy Secretary, the U.S. government should take steps now to facilitate exploration opportunities in the Alaskan Arctic in order to offset an expected decline in Lower 48 production in the coming decades and ensure the nation’s long-term energy security. Regrettably, this rule could do just the opposite.”

“With an estimated 23.6 billion barrels and 104.4 trillion cubic feet of undiscovered technically recoverable oil and natural gas, the development of which could create 54,700 jobs nationwide, $145 billion in cumulative payroll, and $193 billion in public revenue, the U.S. Arctic offshore is a critical component of the nation’s energy portfolio. Rather than cede opportunities in the Arctic to foreign adversaries, the federal government must create a regulatory environment that enables responsible U.S. Arctic energy development through common-sense regulations and include the U.S. Arctic’s Beaufort and Chukchi in the final 2017-2022 leasing program without any further exclusions or restrictions.”

Consumer Energy Alliance Submits Petition in Support of Oil and Gas Leasing in New Mexico

Santa Fe New Mexico Downtown

FARMINGTON – Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA) has submitted a petition with more than 650 signatures of New Mexico citizens to agency director Neil Kornze asking the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to reconsider its decision to delay the October 19th oil and gas lease sale near Chaco Culture National Historic Park in New Mexico and to hold the lease sale as originally scheduled.

In all, 651 New Mexicans, a majority of whom live in northwestern New Mexico, signed off on the letter, which was drafted after the BLM’s Farmington, N.M., Field Office decided earlier this month to postpone the lease sale of three parcels – or 2,122 acres – of public land near Chaco Culture National Historical Park, a World Heritage Site, until at least January.

“By delaying this lease sale, the BLM is adding economic strain to a state that is already under duress,” CEA President David Holt wrote in the letter. “The reality of this decision is that New Mexico will not create new jobs; will not realize millions in private investment, and new – greatly needed – tax revenue will not be collected to support New Mexico’s schools, public safety personnel, and municipal services, such as road repairs.”

Holt added that the delaying of a lease sale in a major gas-producing region such as this also ignores the growing importance of natural gas production to the U.S. and New Mexican economies and its pivotal role in producing both affordable, reliable energy sources for consumers but also in reducing carbon and other pollutant emissions.

“As hydraulic fracturing has opened new areas of low carbon shale gas, natural gas production is up 47 percent and the industry’s carbon emissions are down 21 percent,” Holt wrote. “Such improvements in carbon emissions have also been seen across all sector of the economy, including the auto and manufacturing industries.”

CEA is a national, non-profit trade association with nearly 300 affiliate members and more than 400,000 grassroots members – 3,500 of which reside in or near Farmington, N.M.

To view the petition click here.

Energy Group Asks BLM to Reconsider Allowing Oil and Gas Wells Near Chaco Canyon

KSJD quoted David Holt about the importance of energy development for New Mexico.

The alliance’s president, David Holt, wrote that the agency’s decision “is adding economic strain to a state that is already under duress” and means New Mexico will not create new jobs or rake in new tax revenues.

Read more – KSJD News

While Low Gas Prices Encourage Travel, Officials Urge Safety

CEA’s Brydon Ross was interviewed by Bowling Green Daily News about what consumers should expect to see at the gas station this 4th of July.

The lowest gas prices since 2005 and Fourth of July celebrations are expected to put a record number of people on the roads this holiday weekend. Motor club AAA expects more than 36 million people to drive 50 miles or more from home during the holiday period. It’s the third year in a row of record-breaking travel forecasts, and the uptick is fueled by low gas prices.  “We’ve seen a large increase in the supply of crude oil in the market place,” said Brydon Ross, the Consumer Energy Alliance’s vice president of state affairs.

Read more – Bowling Green Daily News

A Campaign Worthy of a Toast

CEA Board Member Jennifer Diggins discussed the Know the Value campaign.

Want to know a secret ingredient to making amazing craft beer? Colorado energy production.

Read more – Denver Business Journal

Cheapest Travel Weekend in 11 Years

Putting gas in car

CEA Mid-Atlantic’s Mike Butler discussed what families can expect to see at the pump as they head out this 4th of July.

Nationally, nearly 43 million people are projected to travel from Thursday to Monday, about five million more than Memorial Day weekend. “There has been quite a nice drop in the last 10 years and we’re going to see more cars on the highway than ever in history,” said Mike Butler, executive director of the Consumer Energy Alliance Mid-Atlantic Chapter.

Read more – The Times-Tribune

Energy Costs and Infrastructure Important for Bay Staters

Boston Massachusetts Skyline

A poll conducted for Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA) this week shows that Massachusetts voters believe that energy issues are important and that they strongly support the use of natural gas for electricity generation, expansion of existing natural gas infrastructure, as well the development of renewable energy sources such as wind and solar.

Key findings:
• 68% of Massachusetts voters say energy issues will be a significant factor on how they vote
• Voters in Massachusetts support electricity generation utilizing natural gas by a 73% to 13% margin
• 88% of Massachusetts voters support the generation of electricity using renewable sources such as solar and wind
• Hillary Clinton has a strong lead in the Bay State, leading Donald Trump by a 49% to 31% margin
• Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker enjoys a 68% favorability rating

“The message we have heard in this poll is that voters want policy makers to reduce energy costs, as well as foster economic and job growth while ensuring safety and the protection of our environment. This can be achieved through the promotion of responsible energy infrastructure and production both in Massachusetts and throughout New England,” CEA Executive Vice President Michael Whatley said. “Massachusetts voters – like voters all across the country – are concerned about energy issues and would like to see a variety of sources developed to reduce their energy costs. Bay Staters support responsible energy development – including increases in renewables, clean-burning natural gas and the energy infrastructure necessary to keep the lights on”.

Survey questionnaire and cross tabs are available here.

New England’s Known Need for More Natural Gas Pipelines

Transmission and Generation Control Room

Forbes looks at increasing concerns surrounding New England’s push for new natural gas power plants but opposition to the pipelines required to bring more natural gas into the region to ensure both reliability and affordability.

Despite not producing any itself, New England (6 states) has rapidly surged its reliance on natural gas. ISO New England now gets about 50% of its power from gas, versus 10-15% a decade ago. From 2014-2015 alone, gas increased its share of New England’s power generation from 43% to 49%. Nearly 30 gas plants have been built in the region since 2000.

And largely based on the goal to reduce GHG emissions, plans for more energy efficiency, low levels of wind and solar generation, the shutdown/retirement of coal, oil, and nuclear plants, New England’s gas demand therefore will obviously continue to grow. ISO New England has “assessed the fleet of power plants in the six states and found that nearly a third of the grid’s generating capacity will have closed or be at risk of closure by 2020.”

Read more – Forbes

Make Policy Pro-solar, Pro-grid and Pro-consumer

CEA’s Michael Whatley discussed how we can implement pro-solar energy policies that benefit consumers and safeguard our electricity grid.

The U.S. energy markets, including those throughout Nevada, are in the midst of a massive transformation. Our one-time historical reliance on large, centrally located coal-fired power plants has gradually shifted toward growing demand for natural gas, renewables and distributed generation.

Read more – Las Vegas Review-Journal

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