CEA Encouraged by Passage Of Legislation to Move Forward Keystone XL Project
In Absence of Presidential Permit Rational and Predictable Process Essential to Moving Forward

(Lincoln, NE)— The Nebraska Legislature today passed legislation, LB1 and LB4, critical to the ongoing development and success of the Keystone XL pipeline absent a Presidential permit expected last month.  The passage of LB4 in particular will ensure continued progress of the Keystone XL project as it sets a regulatory structure for Nebraska to permit the route of Keystone XL and work concurrently on environmental revenues with the Department of State.  This is crucial in ensuring a timely completion of this needed project which will provide over 20,000 jobs and a reliable energy source that will reduce our nation’s dependence on unstable sources of energy.

Michael Whatley, Vice President of the Consumer Energy Alliance, offered the following statements in regards to passage of the legislation:

“While we remain disappointed that the Presidential Permit necessary for construction of this vital pipeline has been delayed, we appreciate the work that has been done by Speaker Flood, Chairman Langemeier and the other members of the Nebraska Legislature to set forth a rational process for changing the route of the project through Nebraska as expeditiously as possible.

Given that we have already seen some groups announce that they will oppose the new route just as vigorously as the original route proposed by TransCanada, regardless of merit or circumstance, we hope that Governor Heineman and the other political leaders in Nebraska will aggressively support the new route in order to prevent a replay of the current controversy over the project next year.  The Keystone XL pipeline is good for Nebraska and will create thousands of high paying jobs while enhancing our energy security and boosting the U.S. economy.”

Introduced by Sen. Chris Langemeier, LB4 will authorize the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to collaborate with the federal government on a supplemental environmental impact study for oil pipeline projects in Nebraska.  LB1, introduced by Fullerton Sen. Annette Dubas, would apply to future pipelines and create the Major Oil Pipeline Siting Act. Among other provisions, the bill would define a major oil pipeline as one larger than six inches in diameter and establish an application process for routing a major oil pipeline in Nebraska.  Gov. Heineman signed both bills today at a signing ceremony at 9:30 CT.

CEA Welcomes HoustonWorks USA as Newest Affiliate Member

HOUSTON – Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA) is pleased to welcome HoustonWorks USA as its 170^th affiliate member. As part of its CEA affiliation, HoustonWorks USA and Schlumberger’s Engineering Excellence competition (E²) – to be held in February 2012 – will be added to the Energy Capital Academic Program (ECAP) to further expand CEA’s broad energy academic program.

Since its founding in 1984, HoustonWorks USA has consistently maintained a high level of performance while demonstrating the ability to remain flexible and responsive to the changing characteristics of the 21st Century job market. Today, HoustonWorks USA offers job training and placement, scholarships, consulting, technical initiatives focusing on science, technology, engineering and mathematics, (STEM) summer job programs along with youth summits.

“HoustonWorks USA is so pleased to work with CEA to further educational and workforce opportunities for young people,” said HoustonWorks USA Associate Director of STEM Institute, Terri Drabik-O’Reilley.  “Engineering Excellence (E²) and CEA’s Energy Capital Academic Program are just two examples of how organizations can work together to deliver positive messages about STEM education to students. CEA’s mission of expanding the national energy dialogue affords students everywhere the opportunity to learn about energy in all of its forms and the careers energy can provide.”

Drabik-O’Reilley added, “HoustonWorks USA is committed to the continued development of our programs to help students prepare for a future in ‘STEM related fields.’ By joining CEA, HoustonWorks USA hopes that more under-represented students can be reached in an attempt to bolster interest in STEM related fields.”

“Consumer Energy Alliance is very proud to announce this partnership with HoustonWorks USA and welcome HoustonWorks USA as our newest affiliate,” said David Holt, president of CEA. “HoustonWorks USA helped make Houston’s Energy Day a reality and will continue to support STEM education by becoming part of the Energy Capital Academic Program with the addition of the Engineering Excellence (E²) competition. This will further ECAP’s mission of creating a year-round energy education program that rewards students for their excellence. Educating young people on energy innovation and the future of energy careers is a fundamental function for CEA.  We look forward to doing even more together to provide students with credible energy information and activities that show students how they can pursue rewarding careers in STEM fields.”

CEA Welcomes National Tank Truck Carriers, Inc. as Newest Affiliate Member

HOUSTON – Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA) is pleased to welcome the National Tank Truck Carriers, Inc. (NTTC) as its newest affiliate member.

Since 1945, National Tank Truck Carriers, Inc. has successfully represented their members before Congress and various federal agencies such as Department of Transportation, Department of Homeland Security, Environmental Protection Agency, and others. Today, NTTC is comprised of more than 200 trucking companies – representing over 80% of bulk volume hauled in North America – and about 300 associate members who supply products and essential services to our trucking membership. The National Tank Truck Carriers, Inc. (NTTC) represents the most specialized segment of the trucking industry. The NTTC is the only international trade association focused exclusively on such unique legislative, regulatory, and operational concerns.

“As a member-driven, issues-oriented tank truck association that provides Legislative & Regulatory expertise, the NTTC looks forward to working with CEA on energy policy issues at the state and national level. Our members rely on sound energy legislation and regulation that positively affects production, distribution and supply of motor fuels at the retail level. By working together, we hope to make energy policy a top priority in the minds of our elected officials. We look forward to working with CEA in an effort to create sound energy policies that impact everyone in a positive way,” said NTTC President John Conley.

“Consumer Energy Alliance is pleased to work closely with the NTTC on energy issues at a regional and national level,” said CEA Executive Vice-President Andrew Browning. “One of CEA’s primary functions is to provide a place where producers and consumers of energy can come together in order to discuss the merits of a balanced energy policy. NTTC accomplishes this by providing a voice for its member organization on energy issues that affect members of the tank trucking industry. CEA looks forward to working closely with NTTC to provide its members with credible energy information and learning first-hand some of the concerns their members have about federal and state energy policies.”

CEA Responds to Decision to Delay Keystone XL
Refusing to issue necessary permit prevents thousands of new jobs from being created

HOUSTON – In response to today’s news that the State Department will delay its decision on issuing a Presidential Permit for Keystone XL – which would deliver more than 700,000 barrels of crude oil per day from Canada, Montana, the Dakotas, Oklahoma and Texas to Gulf Coast refineries – Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA) executive vice president Michael Whatley issued the following statement:

“Today’s decision is disappointing to say the least. The State Department’s Environmental Impact Statement on Keystone XL – released earlier this year after three years of analysis – found that the pipeline would be the safest ever constructed under current regulations. That same assessment not only affirmed the safety of the current route, but also found that any alternative route would ‘disturb more land and cross more water bodies than the proposed route.’ It is also ironic that in 2009, when the Obama administration approved the Alberta Clipper pipeline – which delivers crude oil from Alberta to U.S. markets, as the Keystone XL pipeline will do – the justification was that ‘the addition of crude oil pipeline capacity between Canada and the United States will advance a number of strategic interests of the United States.’

“Keystone XL will create 20,000 high-paying construction and manufacturing jobs and generate more than $5 billion in new tax revenue for the corridor states. Each day that the President delays Keystone XL is another day that Americans are paying higher prices at the pump than they should be forced to deal with an economy that is not growing as fast as it could be. America wants to get back to work, and arbitrary bureaucratic delays like today’s decision to delay Keystone XL mean that hardworking men and women in this country will have to wait even longer to find jobs.”

Earlier this year, CEA delivered to the State Department more than 450,000 public comments from Americans across the country expressing support for building Keystone XL.

Consumer Energy Alliance: Five Year Plan Lacks Vision to Lead U.S. to Energy Future
Falls short in expanding access, preparing U.S. for new energy challenges

HOUSTON – Today, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Director Tommy P. Boudreau announced the release of the Department of the Interior’s five year plan for leasing assets under the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas leasing program.  The plan, as outlined, would provide for fifteen lease sales in six offshore areas of production, all of which are areas that are currently under lease or exploration.  The plan would provide access to 5 area-wide lease sales in the western Gulf of Mexico in fall 2012, five area-wide lease sales in the central Gulf of Mexico in spring 2013 and two sales in the eastern Gulf of Mexico one in 2014 and the other in 2016.  The plan also includes sales in the Beaufort Sea in 2015 and the Chukchi Sea in 2016. Notably, the plan does not include the potential for lease sales in the Mid- and South-Atlantic, areas which were included in the Department’s previous five year plan.

In response, CEA president David Holt released the following:

“While the plan does provide for future lease sales, CEA is disappointed that the plan does not provide for new access, particularly in the Mid- and South-Atlantic.  While Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar indicated these areas were left out due to a perceived lack of safety preparedness, the Commonwealth of Virginia and its elected officials have indicated their interest and confidence that exploration and production can proceed there in a safe and responsible manner.  This strong, bi-partisan support from Governor McDonnell (R), Senators Webb (D) and Warner (D) and the Legislature have been ignored in this heavy-handed decision that leaves Virginians in the dark, unable to tap their vital resources and grow their economy until at least 2018.

Since this plan will effectively guide U.S. offshore development beyond 2020, we had hoped that this plan would have permitted for expanded access to explore new areas, areas that will be needed to advance our energy future, decrease our reliance on overseas oil and provide long-term, economic growth.”

The OCS Lands Act requires that the Secretary of the Interior prepare a five-year program that includes a schedule of oil and gas lease sales indicating the size, timing, and location of proposed leasing activity that the secretary determines will best meet national energy needs for the five-year period following its approval.

Today’s announcement starts a 90-day comment period on proposed plan and draft environmental impact statement (EIS). BOEM can then make whatever changes and adjustments to the draft EIS before issuing the proposed program and Final EIS. Congress then will review the plan for 60 days.

CEA: LB1 Bill in Nebraska Legislature will Stop Keystone XL Pipeline
Legislation will Inhibit Economic Growth and Job Creation in Nebraska and Nationwide

(Lincoln, NE)—  Executive Vice President of Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA) Michael Whatley will testify at the Nebraska Legislature’s Natural Resources Committee Hearing in opposition to LB1, a bill that will create additional red tape and effectively stop the Keystone XL pipeline project.  In advance of his testimony Whatley stated:

“LB1 is designed to stop construction of the Keystone XL project and it is an unconstitutional attempt to change state law to affect an ongoing regulatory process.  The U.S. State Department has already determined that the project poses no significant risk to the environment and that all other routes considered would pose a higher risk.

We urge the committee and the Nebraska legislature to defeat any legislation that would retroactively change the regulatory process for permitting the Keystone XL pipeline project in order to block it from moving forward.  Keystone XL will create thousands of high paying jobs, significantly boost the U.S. economy and enhance our energy security.”

The bill, which was introduced by Sen. Dubas, is one of five bills that has been introduced in the special session to address the Keystone XL pipeline – and one of four bills that has been referred to the Natural Resources Committee. It seeks to require any company seeking to exercise eminent domain for the construction of a major oil pipeline to secure a permit from the state Public Service Commission.