7-14-14 Consumer Energy Alliance Looks Out For Us All

As longtime supporters of Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA), we appreciate this week's notes below from Natalie Joubert (NGP Photo), of the organization's Washington Office. CEA works to make sure energy consumer interests are served and their projects include support for the Keystone XL pipeline, many Alaska energy positions endorsed by Alaska leaders and Lower 48 energy issues also affecting both Alaska and Canada. -dh

Calls to Action: CEA is seeking our readers' support on initiatives this month, including: Comments on the OCS Five-Year Offshore Oil & Gas Leasing Program; Comments and attendees to oppose a ban on fracking in Denton, TX (the City Council will hold a hearing on Tuesday in Denton); and Comments and attendees on the EPA’s carbon pollution regulations. CEA will be speaking at each of the four EPA hearings later this month. (See an example of how CEA processes our letters here. -dh)

Upon news that a decision on Keystone XL may be delayed past the midterm elections, media outlets seized on CEA’s recently released report on the economic impacts of the Gulf Coast Project, the southern leg of the Keystone XL pipeline. The Washington, Examiner, Canada Free Press, and Right Side News all quoted the study to demonstrate the positive contributions to the local economies along the Keystone XL route.

Construction of Keystone’s Gulf Coast pipeline added $5.7B to local economies Michael Whatley (NGP Photo), Executive Vice President of CEA, is a well known national speaker, having appeared at scores of events throughout the Lower 48, Alaska and Canada. He is quoted in this E&E News story about a CEA report showing how the Gulf Coast pipeline has brought billions of dollars to numerous rural Texas and Oklahoma counties. Construction of the southern segment of TransCanada Corp.’s politically fraught pipeline has brought billions of dollars to the rural Texas and

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Four Things for the U.S. to do to Lower Gas Prices $4 a gallon gasoline is being spotted at the pump this Fourth of July. Here are four things Consumer Energy Alliance recommends the U.S. do right now to make sure a gallon of gasoline is affordable by this time next year. Approve key infrastructure projects including the Keystone XL Pipeline Open the Gulf of Mexico […]

(Note: Sometimes we write letters from scratch and sometimes we borrow from the testimony we give at public hearings. However, since this administration seems more concerned with executing an agenda than honestly reacting to a 'record' developed in the public interest, we are pleased to also comment through the CEA website and simply contribute votes in favor of consumer interests and our philosophy. Note that one can use the format and distribution mechanism but personalize the letter as desired. As an example, below is this morning's comment delivered via the CEA website, for your review, and it demonstrates how CEA communicated back to us. We find the process to be professionally handled. The message is valid. And, it saves time! -dh)

Your Letter to the President and Congress

Dave, thanks for taking action on behalf of Consumer Energy Alliance. Your messages are on the way.

An individual copy of your letter will be sent to each official:

July 14, 2014

Dear President Obama,

Dear Representative Young,

Dear Senator Murkowski,

Dear Senator Begich,

Kelly Hammerle

Five Year Program Manager

BOEM (HM-3120)

381 Elden Street

Herndon, Virginia 20170

RE: Request for Information on 2017-2022 Outer Continental Shelf Oil & Gas Leasing Program

Dear Ms. Hammerle:

As the federal government examines areas to be considered in the next five-year offshore oil and gas leasing program, I urge you to include all unleased areas in the draft plan. Future environmental analyses will guide whether an area should be precluded from leasing. Right now, let’s leave all of our options on the table.

In particular, it’s time to open new areas in the Atlantic and Eastern Gulf of Mexico to exploration. Recent federal estimates show that the Atlantic likely holds 4.7 billion barrels of oil – 43% more than estimated just a few years ago. Seismic surveying and exploration of the Mid- and South Atlantic will help us better understand this prolific resource base. The Eastern Gulf similarly holds excellent potential and should not be precluded from the plan. If we don’t examine the potential of these areas now, it’ll be another five years before we can again consider leasing. And a lot can change in five years.

We also need to continue to advance our opportunities in the U.S. Arctic. Aside from being the largest untapped resource basin in North American, energy exploration in the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas will advance our scientific understanding of the Arctic and advance our geopolitical interests in the region.

A sensible long term energy policy must include our offshore resources. Shale energy has fortunately lowered our dependence on overseas oil, but we’re not energy self-sufficient just yet. We need to continue to explore new resources to ensure that the U.S. economy and its consumers have access to domestic energy for years to come.

I appreciate the opportunity to comment and again encourage the government to thoughtfully examine all of our options.

Sincerely,

Mr. Dave Harbour

2440 E. Tudor Rd.

Anchorage, AK 99507

Thanks again for taking action, and keep this email for your records.

Also, be sure to visit http://takeaction.consumerenergyalliance.org/ for more important action items.

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