View RDC's Comment Letter
Comment Deadline was September 18, 2008
Overview:
The Department of the Interior is soliciting comments on the possible creation of a new OCS oil and gas leasing program for 2010-2015. The current Five-year Plan covers July 2007 to June 30, 2012. The Minerals Management Service (MMS) is accepting comments up to Monday, September 15 on whether to begin a new plan for the 2010 to mid-2015 period. If the decision is made to prepare a new Five-Year Plan, the MMS will also prepare appropriate NEPA analysis documents. The public will have several additional opportunities to comment. The MMS in particular requests comments on areas that are restricted from leasing by Congressional Moratoria, but were removed from Presidential Withdrawal on July 14, 2008.
For Alaska, the new program would include the Beaufort and Chukchi seas, the North Aleutian Basin, and Cook Inlet. Alaska’s offshore waters contain reserves estimated at 27 billion barrels of oil and 132 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. The MMS believes the Chukchi Sea is the most promising offshore petroleum basin in the U.S. Improved and accelerated access to Alaska offshore waters in an environmentally-sensitive way could significantly improve the nation’s domestic energy situation and provide economic stimulus to coastal communities and the state.
For additional information: http://www.mms.gov/5-year/
Action Requested:
RDC encourages its members to submit comments supporting the immediate development of a new Five-Year Plan. Beginning the planning process now could give the new administration a two-year head start in expanding offshore energy production at a time when high energy prices pose a serious threat to the economy.
Send written comments to:
Ms. Renee Orr, 5-Year Program Manager
Minerals Management Service (MS–4010)
381 Elden Street
Herndon, Virginia 20170
Or submit comments online:
The MMS will accept comments submitted to its electronic public comment system. This system can be accessed at www.mms.gov/5-year/5-YearProgramComments.htm
Comment Deadline was September 18, 2008
Points to consider for your comments:
- The MMS should move forward immediately with a new accelerated Five-Year Plan that opens prospective areas of the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf to oil and gas exploration and development.
- With high energy prices threatening the national economy and the standard of living for many Americans, we must develop our vast untapped domestic energy resources. Most of the nation’s oil and gas is located offshore – an estimated 86 billion barrels of oil and 420 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. Yet 86 percent of the OCS is off limits to development.
- Allowing appropriate access to these offshore resources is in our national interest as a means of improving energy security, diversifying supply, enhancing economic development and generating local, state and federal revenue.
- A new Five-Year Plan and congressional action to lift restrictions on offshore development would be important steps in the right direction toward the creation of a comprehensive national energy policy that utilizes a broad range of energy sources to secure our energy future.
- New oil and gas production will continue to be required in the foreseeable future to meet energy demand until alternative and renewable sources of energy become available on a broad scale. The health of our economy and our national security require utilization of both conventional and unconventional energy sources.
- Revenue sharing from the OCS with local communities in Alaska should be enacted to help address local impacts. Early consultation and conflict avoidance mechanisms should also be established.
- OCS development has an outstanding safety and environmental record spanning decades. Development has coexisted with other industries, including fishing in Cook Inlet, the North Sea and the Gulf of Mexico.
- New offshore development should occur within a strong regulatory regime. In Alaska, any leasing plan should require state-of-the-art oil spill response and consider mitigation and conflict avoidance measures to minimize impacts to other resource industries, traditional lifestyles and the environment.
- Reasonable stipulations to protect scientifically-verified, environmentally-sensitive areas should be incorporated in the plan.
- OCS production would provide many benefits, including new jobs in rural and urban areas, additional tax and royalty income to the states, new local sources of fuel and energy, and improved search and rescue operations.
Comment Deadline was September 18, 2008
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