BARTLETT AND WALSH: SKYROCKETING GAS PRICES DEMAND  DEVELOPMENT OF DOMESTIC OIL SUPPLY IN ANWR

(Washington D.C.)- Two Republican members who voted against permitting drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) held a news conference today to explain why they are supporting a new bill to do just that. U.S. Represenatives Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD) and Jim Walsh (R-NY) made the case for new legislation that would allow for oil and natural gas production in a small section of the Coastal Plain in ANWR. 

“My position on ANWR hasn’t changed,” said Congressman Bartlett, “but it has been widely misunderstood. For the past four years, I voted against drilling in ANWR. That is because America’s two percent of world oil reserves are like savings in the bank earning huge interest rates.

“I didn’t think it was wise to just withdraw and spend it unless we also required changes to conserve and invest the federal revenues from ANWR in efficiency and cleaner domestic alternative and renewable energy sources. That is just what this new bill does. That is why I’m supporting H.R. 6107. I am hopeful that my colleagues on both sides of the aisle will support this bill because Americans want Congress to act, not argue.”

Walsh agreed, “For years I have argued that we should avoid offshore drilling and tapping into underground reserves in ANWR until there was an emergency that left us with no choice,” said Walsh. “That time has come. We are most certainly heading toward a global energy crisis. We must explore all options while developing a comprehensive strategy to address this growing threat.

“Daily global production of oil is 85 million barrels a day while 87 million barrels are in demand,” said Walsh. “Fears of severe shortage within five years have propelled long-term oil futures to previously unheard of prices. If this Congress continues to fail to act and authorize new domestic exploration and production, new inflationary pressures will stoke our economy into a tailspin.”

Both members said that the drilling can and should be done in an environmentally sensitive manner.

“Of course, it is impossible to drill without some environmental impact,” noted Rep. Bartlett.  “However, I have been to ANWR.  I am convinced that the environmental impact will be minimal.”

“Emerging technologies will also allow us to explore resources beneath ANWR with the most sensitive and environmentally-conscious footprint as possible,” concluded Walsh.

H.R. 6107 introduced by Rep. Don Young now has 130 bipartisan cosponsors. It will:
 

•    Allow for the environmentally responsible development of ANWR's 30-year, 1 million barrel/day supply.
 
•    Bring online ANWR's additional supply of 1 million barrels per day – the equivalent of what Texas produces daily – in less than five years.
 
•    Deliver more than $200 billion in corporate tax income and royalty revenue to the federal government.
 
•    Bring in $3.5 billion in bonus bids alone.
 
•    Create 250,000-750,000 well paid American jobs; and
 
•    Create a Trust Fund to dedicate federal revenues from bonus bids, rents and royalty revenue to fund a comprehensive range of 18 renewable and alternative energy provisions authorized – but not fully funded – under current law (EPACT 2005 and EISA 2007).

Rep. Bartlett illustrated his points about energy with a series of charts. They’re available as a pdf file upon request, contact Lisa Wright, Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (202) 225-2721.
 

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