Hastings Says Gas Prices Could Drive Drilling Debate 1/20/2011 National Journal Amy Harder A top House Republican predicted Wednesday that Congress could see a repeat of its bruising debate over offshore drilling from 2008 if gasoline prices continue to rise. “I think we could potentially … see a similar type of discussion,” House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings,… Read more »

Yesterday, the Associated Press reported on rising gas prices causing consumers to shift spending habits, which could directly curtail economic recovery: “Thursday's government report on retail sales indicates that consumers are skipping a restaurant meal or a movie because they have to spend more to drive…If the price [of gas] goes up a dime, it means consumers pay $40 million more each… Read more »

House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) released the following statement regarding the further division of the former MMS into the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement: “There was bipartisan recognition of the need to improve the operations of MMS in order to ensure that U.S. offshore drilling is the safest in… Read more »

House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) released the following statement regarding the final report and recommendations from the President’s National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling. The House Natural Resources Committee is scheduled to hold a hearing, with testimony from Commission Co-Chairs William Reilly and Bob Graham, on… Read more »

House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) released the following statement after the National Oil Spill Commission released one chapter of its final report on the Deepwater Horizon tragedy and subsequent oil spill: “This chapter of the National Oil Spill Commission’s final report provides initial insight into a very complicated and terrible tragedy. However, I’m… Read more »

Drilling Is Stalled Even After Ban Is Lifted January 3, 2011 Wall Street Journal Ben Casselman and Daniel Gilbert More than two months after the Obama administration lifted its ban on drilling in the deep-water Gulf of Mexico, oil companies are still waiting for approval to drill the first new oil well there. Experts now expect the wait to continue until the second half of 2011, and… Read more »

House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Doc Hastings (WA-04) released the following statement after the Republican Conference selected him to serve as Chairman of the Natural Resources Committee in the 112th Congress: “I’m honored to have been selected as Chairman and will work hard with my Republican colleagues to serve the American people and address their top priorities. … Read more »

House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Doc Hastings (WA-04) released the following statement after the Department of Labor reported that unemployment rose to 9.8 percent in November: “For sixteen straight months over 9.5 percent of Americans have been jobless.  There is no excuse for so many Americans to be looking for work when there are so many job creation opportunities… Read more »

House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Doc Hastings (WA-04) sent the following letter to Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar regarding his recent comments that the Interior Department is considering imposing new regulations on hydraulic fracturing on public lands. In the letter, Hastings asks the Secretary to appear before the Natural Resources Committee before implementing… Read more »

House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Doc Hastings (WA-04) released the following statement regarding the Obama Administration’s announcement that they are placing the Eastern Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Coast off-limits to new offshore drilling in the next five-year plan: “The Administration is taking the wrong approach in responding to the BP spill and creating energy… Read more »