Drumbeat Continues: Ned Farquhar

Administration Enlists Another Soldier for its War on American Energy Production

Washington, D.C. - IER President Thomas J. Pyle issued the following statement in response to Secretary Salazar’s appointment of Ned Farquhar – former employee of the most aggressive of all the anti-energy lawsuit groups, the Natural Resources Defense Council – as the new Deputy Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management.

“Ned Farquhar’s professional history demonstrates that in the past, he has ascribed to a philosophy right in line with the Administration’s emerging agenda: To artificially increase the price of the energy we use to fuel our cars and heat our homes and force American companies to take their jobs, energy, and economic investment to other nations. We at IER hope that as Farquhar moves to this position of tremendous responsibility over U.S. mineral resource development, his actions will be guided by facts, rather than rhetoric or ideology.

“It is discouraging that the Administration appears to be assembling a team that seeks to tax, regulate, and increase prices until our domestic energy industry ceases to exist. Moreover, Farquhar’s appointment illustrates the Administration’s apparent willingness to place controversial outliers in positions that do not require congressional confirmation.”

NOTE: As deputy assistant, Mr. Farquhar will work with the Department to establish new land management policies and oversee energy and mineral resource development on all taxpayer-owned lands in the U.S. His appointment does not require congressional confirmation.

Institute for Energy Research  Bio

Institute for Energy Research Most recent columns The Institute for Energy Research (IER) is a not-for-profit organization that conducts intensive research and analysis on the functions, operations, and government regulation of global energy markets. IER maintains that freely-functioning energy markets provide the most efficient and effective solutions to today’s global energy and environmental challenges and, as such, are critical to the well-being of individuals and society.