ISSUE BRIEF: Oppose Rollback of Bipartisan Energy Law that will make Energy More Expensive and America More Reliant on Foreign Energy
The Energy Policy Act of 2005 laid out a roadmap to put the U.S. on track to energy independence. Now, the 110th Congress is playing politics with America’s energy policy and is seeking a rollback of that important law.
The Issue:
The Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct) was signed into law August 8, 2005, the first comprehensive energy law in 13 years. This legislation enjoyed bipartisan support in both the House and Senate, with votes in favor of 275 - 156 and 74 – 26. EPAct contained a number of reforms that would reign in out-of-control federal land managers, streamline and expedite the environmental review and permit processes involved in approving energy exploration and production, and expedite the siting of energy infrastructure on federal lands.
Now, just over one year after its passage, some in the new 110th Congress are arguing that EPAct needs to be revisited. Largely pushed by lawyers and environmental extremists, these anti-domestic energy advocates are attempting to force energy producers to jump through a multitude of hoops once again in order to gain the permits necessary to develop the domestic energy resources that our nation so desperately needs to improve our national security.
With gasoline prices skyrocketing, Congress is proposing to spend billions of dollars on policies that won’t produce a drop of gasoline for customers and will only cause Americans to pay more at the pump and import more foreign oil, some of which ends up in hostile nations who hate America. The U.S. needs more American Energy, not less, for lower gasoline and home energy costs. Increasing our supply of American energy will ensure economic and job growth and will increase American security.
Impacts on the West:
The West is America's energy breadbasket, with abundant reserves of nearly all forms of energy. Restricting America’s ability to produce more energy from domestic resources: (1) increases our nation’s dependence on precarious and sometimes dangerous foreign sources of energy; (2) continues to drive up energy prices for all consumers; (3) forces price increases in virtually all goods and services, further dampening economic growth and prosperity; and (4) destroys good-paying jobs.
Status of the Issue:
Over the past several months both the House and Senate have held hearings where anti-energy proponents have called for the repeal of many of the key energy enhancing provisions in EPAct. Many congressional leaders and outside environmental groups are making a concerted push to rollback the reforms contained in EPAct and to clamp down on energy development on public lands. Congress is moving towards repealing many of these important energy provisions and abandoning the federal government’s longstanding multiple-use philosophy for federal lands.
Solutions:
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Tell Congress to leave EPAct05 alone and give it time to work.
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Tell the Bush Administration to fully implement the Energy Policy Act of 2005.
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Push federal agencies to reform the red tape that prohibits American energy development.
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Oppose efforts to rollback EPAct provisions that promote American energy production.
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Urge Congress to protect public access to federal lands, including reasonable access for more energy.
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