Ohio’s Commitment to America’s Energy Security
Posted Oct 30, 2012 1 Comment
Today, Ohioans are faced with ever increasing energy prices. In the Dayton area, we witnessed spikes in gas prices that hovered over $4 per gallon during the summer months, up nearly 40 cents from last year. Higher gas costs are just another burden on Ohio families as our economy struggles to recover.
We can jumpstart our economy and lower energy costs by promoting American energy production, removing government barriers like growth-inhibiting EPA red tape, and putting our country’s abundant natural resources to use. These common ground solutions will create jobs, achieve energy security, and spur economic growth without wasting billions of taxpayer dollars.
With Ohio’s development of its oil and natural gas resources in the Utica Shale, along with shale development across the country, we are already beginning to see immediate benefits to reducing our energy costs. In 2010 alone, Ohio consumers saved over $1.5 billion in energy costs due to lower wellhead natural gas prices. This is a trend expected to continue, providing continued, unimpeded development across the country,
Again, these lower energy costs are paramount to attracting manufacturers and, in turn, creating new jobs. Last year, Klienhenz and Associates, in conjunction with Marietta College, The Ohio State University, Central Ohio Technical College and Zane State College, released it’s economic impact study with projections of over 200,000 jobs created and supported by the energy industry through 2015 with the development of the Utica Shale.
Those are astounding numbers, and the job opportunities have proven to spread far from the northeast region of the state where this development is taking place. Here in the Miami Valley, we have already seen local companies, local employees benefit from this opportunity in Kelchner and CESO Engineering.
And we are only in the early stages of development, with an increase in activity to come in the next three years. That is why it is imperative we act now to ensure the responsible development of our energy resources becomes a priority, and one we are in the best possible position to take advantage and benefit from. This something I have, and will continue to do in Washington.
This year, the House passed, with my support, the Domestic Energy and Jobs Act (H.R. 4480) which promotes American energy production and more importantly, jobs right here at home. This bipartisan package of bills not only provides solutions to reduce energy costs on hardworking Ohioans, but also encourages economic growth and job creation.
Specifically, H.R. 4480 establishes goals for federal land energy production to meet those needs from all energy sources, oil, natural gas, coal and renewables. The bill also ensures a reliable permitting process to increase American energy production, removing government roadblocks and bureaucratic red tape that hinder and delay American energy production and job creation. In addition, the measure creates new jobs, supports current energy jobs in Alaska, expands American energy production and lowers energy costs by ensuring that oil and natural gas resources in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPRA) are developed and transported in a timely, efficient manner.
In 2011, the U.S. relied on energy imports for 44.8% of its petroleum consumption. The Keystone XL project is a $7 billion privately funded infrastructure project that will create and support tens of thousands of jobs and bring energy security, reducing costs on Ohioans. Once constructed, Keystone XL will carry nearly a million barrels of additional North American energy to U.S. refineries every day.
We can produce oil right here at home and create thousands of jobs by reducing regulatory red tape, boosting American energy production and bringing the Keystone XL Pipeline to the forefront of our energy policy. High energy costs have become a roadblock to economic recovery and job creation. The situation that we continue to face will not be cleared until the U.S. increases its domestic energy production.
Few things affect American consumers like high energy prices. That is why I am committed to policies that promote America’s energy independence, reduce energy costs on families and businesses, and encourage job creation throughout Ohio.
Congressman Mike Turner is serving his fifth term in the U.S. House of Representatives. Representing Ohio’s 3rd Congressional district, the Congressman is a member of the House Armed Services Committee and as Chairman of the House Armed Services Strategic Forces Subcommittee.
For more information: http://turner.house.gov/
About Congressman Turner: http://turner.house.gov/biography/
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Tags: CESO, Congressman Mike Turner, Domestic Energy and Jobs Act, Energy In Depth, Gas prices, H.R. 4480, Kelchner, Utica Shale
