No more handouts to the energy industry

The House of Representatives vote this week on an energy bill that would create new government handouts for the oil and gas industry. This bill, H.R. 4480, has been nick-named the “Oil Above All” bill because it gives so many special favors for the oil and gas industry, and because it was announced on the same day that the House voted to slash investments in clean energy research and deployment by more than $500 million. 

The bill would:

• Block public health safeguards from smog and toxic air pollution. 
• Assess a $5,000 fee on anyone who wishes to object to a federal leasing or drilling decision, including farmers, ranchers and others who own the surface over federal oil and gas. (Originally introduced by Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-CO).)
• Mandate that the Bureau of Land Management lease at least 25% of any area nominated for leasing by the oil and gas industry. It would also repeal leasing reforms that have helped to reduce conflict over oil and gas leases by requiring scientific review prior to drilling. (Originally introduced by Rep. Mike Coffman (R-CO).) 
• Establish energy development as the primary use of all public land, and require the Secretary of the Interior to “take all necessary actions” to reach an objective for energy development on public lands. (Originally introduced by Rep. Scott Tipton (R-CO).)

H.R. 4480 is off-base because:

• Oil and gas production in the United States is the highest since 1998.
• Oil imports are at their lowest since 1997. 
• There are more drilling rigs in the United States than the rest of the world combined. 
• Oil and gas companies are sitting on 7,000 unexplored or undeveloped federal leases. 
• The oil and gas industry is already raking in record profits while collecting over $4 billion annually in taxpayer subsidies. 

Tell your Representative that the oil and gas industry doesn’t need more exemptions from clean air and water protections, or more special favors. 

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