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WASHINGTON, D.C.—Congressman Allen Boyd (D-North Florida) today voted for legislation to increase the responsible domestic production of oil and natural gas, particularly in more than 20 million acres of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A). The Drill Responsibly in Leased Lands (DRILL) Act (HR 6515) would allow for the development of the NPR-A’s 20 million acres, which has an estimated 10.6 billion barrels of recoverable oil, and if produced, along with the 68 million acres of already-leased land, U.S. oil production could nearly double.
“This bill is a common sense approach to our near-term energy crisis,” said Congressman Boyd. “I am a strong proponent of responsible domestic drilling, including the opening of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, but we must remember that drilling is only one small component of what is needed to lower gas prices and end our energy crisis. To really and truly end our dependence on foreign oil, we must develop a long term energy strategy that not only increases domestic energy production, but also addresses climate change, fuel diversity, renewable energy sources, and technology development.”
The DRILL Act would unleash the vast potential of the National Petroleum Reserve by requiring annual federal oil and gas lease sales and by facilitating the construction of pipelines to connect the NPR-A with the existing Central North Slope transportation infrastructure and the Trans-Alaskan Pipeline. The legislation also makes the construction of the Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline a priority so that stranded natural gas can be transported to the rest of the country.
Unfortunately, the DRILL Act failed to receive the necessary support to pass in the House of Representatives.
“The people of North Florida want real relief at the pump, not the political bickering that has plagued Washington for far too long,” Boyd stated. “We must stop yelling across the aisle to score political points and start working together. I will continue to work with all of my colleagues in Congress towards a balanced and comprehensive approach to our long term energy needs.”
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