Obama Administration Keeps Offshore Moratorium in Place

“Ensuring the safety of those who work offshore is a principle that all can rally around. Unfortunately, what was announced today by the Interior Department under emergency rule-making authority are regulations that were proposed long ago – well before the tragic accident that occurred on April 20. This workplace safety rule was proposed in June of 2009 – meaning it took 15-months and a tragic accident in the Gulf for this Administration to move across the goal line. This is unfortunate. “More unfortunate, however, is what the Secretary did not address today. And that’s the fact that this administration has no plans to lift the moratorium on offshore energy production – adding increased uncertainty to the men and women who stand ready to harvest the energy resources this country so desperately needs to jump-start our ailing economy. Secretary Salazar also failed to address the shallow water operations in the gulf, where his agency, since the April 20 accident, has only issued 10% of the normal permits for new wells. This de facto moratorium is causing small businesses to shut their doors. “The American people, by wide margins, support the use of domestic energy resources. Today’s announcement, while not acknowledged by the Obama Administration, will further restrict that domestic production through a prolonged moratorium – keeping folks out of work and adding increased uncertainty to an already fragile economy.”

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