Barrasso Addresses Challenges to Natural Gas Production [VIDEO]

The following are excerpts from the opening remarks of Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) this week to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee:

I look forward to hearing from each of the participants today.  I appreciate your willingness to be here, to join us, and to share your knowledge and your insight.

“I think, Mr. Chairman, the ‘Wall Street Journal’ put it best in an editorial in November, November 14^th, entitled, ‘Saudi America.’

 

“And the quote was, ‘Sometimes the revolution that politicians seek isn't the one they get.’ “Of course I’m referring to the revolution that we’re seeing now in oil and gas.

 

“A revolution which has dramatically increased our nation’s oil and gas reserves, and it’s led to the creation of tens of thousands of good-paying jobs, billions of dollars in revenue for state and local governments as well as for the Federal government, strong economic growth in communities which produce oil and gas.

 

“It is now clear to many in Washington that people who are uncomfortable with this revolution—and they are doing all they can it seems to me to stop it because it doesn’t comply with a political agenda.

 

“So, for example, President Obama continues to seek billions of dollars in new taxes on American energy—taxes that are only going increase the costs for families to fuel their cars and heat their homes.

 

“Meanwhile, I believe the EPA has launched an assault on hydraulic fracturing. Last year, the EPA issued regulations based on emission data that was, and in some respects remains significantly flawed.

 

“The Department of the Interior continues to push oil and gas production off of public lands.

 

“The Department is in the process of issuing hydraulic fracturing regulations for public lands even though public land states, such as my home state of Wyoming, adopted hydraulic fracturing regulations almost three years ago.

“And now, the Department of Energy is dithering with respect to liquefied natural gas exports.

 

“For generations, our nation has promoted the benefits of open markets, of free trade. We tell countries that open markets and free trade are the best ways to grow the economy and create jobs.

 

“Last year, the DOE commissioned a study on LNG exports confirmed what many of us expected that LNG exports would bring net economic benefits to the United States and that these benefits would increase as LNG exports increased.

“Now some in Washington want to reverse course and are asking DOE to block American exports.

 

“They believe a few bureaucrats in Washington can better allocate resources than millions of buyers and sellers in a global marketplace.