Committee on Natural Resources - Republicans

(Washington, DC) -  The following is the opening statement of U.S. Rep. Stevan Pearce (R-NM) from today’s oversight hearing on “Land-Use Issues Associated With Onshore Oil and Gas Leasing Development”.

This was a joint hearing by the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources and the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands.

            Pearce is the Ranking Member on the Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee.

“This hearing feels a bit like Groundhog’s Day.  First we had this hearing in January; it was called ‘Evolving West’.  The second time it was called ‘Access Denied’.   The third was mischievously entitled ‘Implementation of Title III (Oil and Gas) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005’ even though the invitation letters to witnesses asked them to testify regarding the provisions they wish to repeal.   Finally, we are calling it ‘Land Use Issues Associated with Onshore Oil and Gas Leasing and Development’.

“The titles are different, but the purpose is clear - to create a perception that oil and natural gas production is occurring on all federal lands in the West.   We can have this hearing another four more times, but it won’t change the facts.  I use the same posters in each hearing, so this shouldn’t come as a surprise anymore. 

“Of the nation’s total 700 million acres of subsurface mineral estate, six percent (42 million acres) are currently under lease for oil and gas development and 1.8 percent (12.4 million acres) have active oil and gas production.  The titles to these hearings are different, but the trajectory is clear - the repeal of the oil and gas title of the Energy Policy Act of 2005.

“While some of your witnesses will argue that oil and gas production in the West might ruin their mountain bike experience, the truth is that those energy and minerals belong to all of the American people.   If this government cares more about what people do with their weekends than what they do with their weekdays to make a living, it is no wonder that economists are saying that the United States will be the third largest economy behind China and India in 30 years.  Such policies will hasten that day.   Americans will wake up to find their sons and daughters waiting on the Chinese because they can’t differentiate between the relative importance of a stable domestic energy supply vs. mountain biking. 

“The Chinese have no such problem.  They have made their choice.  As we discussed earlier this year, China will be building a new coal plant every week for the next 10 years in order to keep their energy costs low and their economy healthy.

“I welcome all of our witnesses, but I want to especially welcome my colleague from Pennsylvania and a former Member of this Committee, Mr. John Peterson.  He is an indefatigable advocate for domestic energy production.  I welcome him.  Your message resonates with me and with working America.”