Continuing its focus on creating jobs and expanding American-made energy, the House of Representatives voted to pass H.R. 4480, the Domestic Energy and Jobs Act – a bill that includes, among other things, a provision co-sponsored by Alaskan Congressman Don Young which would cut the red tape and streamline production in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A). The bill passed the House with a bipartisan vote of 248 to 163.
“With the pipeline running at a third of its capacity, the need to develop Alaska’s resources could not be greater,” said Rep. Young. “The President and members of his party like to speak about the need to develop NPR-A, but the fact of the matter is – it’s all talk and no action. This legislation will hold this administration and future administrations accountable by requiring them to hold lease sales annually and requiring them to act on those sales.
“This legislation is long overdue. If the Senate and this President are serious about creating jobs and developing American-made energy, then do what’s right – pass this legislation!”
Specifically, the NPR-A provision would require the Department of Interior (DOI) to hold annual lease sales in areas that hold the most oil and gas. In an effort to eliminate bureaucratic delays, this legislation also sets firm timelines for infrastructure permits to be approved – specifically by imposing a 60 day timeframe for the Secretary of Interior to approve infrastructure permits for leases where DOI has already issued a permit to drill and a six month timeframe for all other areas.
You may remember, but this legislation was introduced last June as Congressman Young, House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings and Governor Sean Parnell toured NPR-A. For more information,
click here.
