House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Minerals today held a legislative hearing on Chairman Doc Hastings’ (WA-04) H.R. 2150, the National Petroleum Reserve Alaska Access Act, a bill to cut through bureaucratic red tape and unlock the full potential of energy resources in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A). As part of the American Energy Initiative, this legislation will create new jobs, support current energy jobs in Alaska, and help lower energy costs by ensuring NPR-A resources are developed and transported in a timely and efficient manner.
Support for H.R. 2150, The National Petroleum Reserve Alaska Act:
“I commend Chairmen Hastings and Lamborn, together with Congressman Young, for putting forth this bill to bring this issue to the forefront. And I appreciate the recognition that we have a permitting problem, not just a leasing problem. We can lease every acre there is, but without some assurance of basic use and enjoyment of this property, purchasing a lease would be a very risky venture.” – Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Lisa Murkowski
“The National Petroleum Reserve Alaska Access Act deserves to be enacted into law…because it will provide a sure and steady supply of domestic oil to enable refineries and petrochemical manufacturing plants…and because this important legislation it is just the first of many actions we urge Congress and the administration to take to make more of America’s valuable fossil fuels resources available to serve the American people. This legislation has a number of beneficial provisions that would avoid bureaucratic delays that hold up the process for producing, transporting and delivering American oil to American refiners.”– Charlie Drevna, president of the National Petrochemical and Refiners Association
“The National Petroleum Reserve Alaska Access Act is a good first step towards realizing the potential federal lands in Alaska have to provide domestic energy supplies…and address many of the challenges facing exploration and development on federal lands in Alaska. The NPR-A Access Act supports Alaska’s goal of one million barrels a day through TAPS within a decade…to curb our dependence on foreign oil and create a brighter, more secure future for Americans.” – Joe Balash, Deputy Commissioner of the State of Alaska’s Department of Natural Resources
“I am here today and excited to strongly support H.R. 2150 or the National Petroleum Reserve Alaska Access Act introduced by Congressmen Young, Hastings and Lamborn. We are in strong support for a number of different reasons, but they boil down to two main issues that most impact my membership. Most simply put, those are jobs, and affordable fuel and energy.” – Tim Sharp, Business Manager of the Alaska District Council of Laborers
