Thursday, January 26, 2012

Natural Gas Industry Shows Love for President Obama

By Press Action

The natural gas industry loves President Obama. They really do. The intensity of the love affair became public knowledge this week.

First, in Tuesday’s State of the Union address, Obama blew a big kiss to the natural gas industry. George W. Bush never came close to Obama’s effusiveness for the natural gas industry in any of his State of the Union addresses.

During his speech, Obama sang natural gas’ praises, saying the United States has “a supply of natural gas that can last America nearly one hundred years.” He stressed that “experts believe this will support more than 600,000 jobs by the end of the decade.”

Obama also proudly said his administration, over the last three years, has opened millions of new acres for oil and gas exploration. “And tonight, I’m directing my administration to open more than 75% of our potential offshore oil and gas resources,” he said.

Administration officials wasted little time in following their boss’ orders. Today, Obama’s Department of the Interior announced that it plans to hold a central Gulf of Mexico lease sale in New Orleans in June. The sale will include all available unleased areas in what is known as the central planning area offshore Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.

“Expanding offshore oil and gas production is a key component of our comprehensive energy strategy to grow America’s energy economy, and will help us continue to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and create jobs here at home,” Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said in a statement. “The President has made it clear that developing our domestic oil and gas resources is a significant part of this administration’s efforts to grow our economy and create jobs.”

James Watt or Gale Norton couldn’t have said it any better—or in a way that would have made the natural gas industry any happier.

The Obama administration is following the trail blazed by George W. Bush. The activities of the Energy Task Force, created by George W. Bush in 2001 and chaired by Vice President Dick Cheney, may have been devoid of transparency. But the task force’s final report not only touted the need for domestic oil and gas production. It also highlighted the merits of “increasing energy supplies while protecting the environment.” It emphasized that domestic energy sources such as wind, geothermal, solar and biofuel are necessary to stabilize and protect U.S. interests.

In his State of the Union address, Obama paid lip service to protecting the environment. “America will develop this resource without putting the health and safety of our citizens at risk,” he said. And like his predecessor, Obama also threw a bone to the renewable energy industry. “Because of federal investments, renewable energy use has nearly doubled,” Obama said. “And thousands of Americans have jobs because of it.”

Because Obama has maintained the status quo on energy, particularly as it relates to continuing Bush’s policies on oil and gas, the natural gas industry has come around to admitting how much they appreciate his efforts, especially after his virtuoso State of the Union performance.

Here’s a roundup of the natural gas industry’s kind words for Obama after his State of the Union speech:

  • American Gas Association President and CEO Dave McCurdy states:

    • “We’re glad to see the President acknowledge the many benefits natural gas provides for our energy future, not just in the State of the Union Address but also in his latest jobs report.”

    “We are pleased by President Obama’s strong support for America’s foundation fuel, and hope that he will incite action following his State of the Union remarks by putting in place policies that expand the use of natural gas, so that every American and our nation as a whole can benefit from this clean, abundant, domestic resource.”

  • America’s Natural Gas Alliance President and CEO Regina Hooper states:

    • “We welcome President Obama’s remarks in support of the safe and responsible development of natural gas and the opportunities it presents to create American jobs and advance our nation’s environment, economy and energy security.”

    “Tonight’s speech builds on the White House report earlier this month documenting the broad impact that natural gas production can have on investment and job creation across leading sectors of our economy.

    “The President said—our nation does not have to choose between economic growth and environmental stewardship. That indeed is the promise of abundant, American natural gas.”

  • Marcellus Shale Coalition President Kathryn Klaber states:

    • “We are encouraged that President Obama recognizes the tremendous energy security, environmental, and economic benefits associated with job-creating American shale gas development fueled overwhelmingly through private investment on privately-owned lands.”

  • Natural Gas Supply Association President and CEO R. Skip Horvath states:

    • “The companies that supply the nation’s natural gas stand ready to meet the challenge laid down by the President to help natural gas realize its potential as a key part of U.S. energy policy.”

    “We appreciate the President’s explicit recognition that the nation doesn’t have to choose between our environment and our economy. The natural gas industry employs more than half a million people in the United States and is poised to create added jobs as more power plants, homes, businesses and factories turn to clean natural gas.”

  • Interstate Natural Gas Association of America President and CEO Don Santa states:

    • Don Santa, president and CEO of the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America, today released the following statement, commending President Barack Obama for recognizing in his State of the Union address the importance domestic natural gas will play in our nation’s energy future:

    “We appreciate President Obama for recognizing the role of domestic natural gas as a pillar of U.S. energy policy.”

  • Independent Petroleum Association of America Chairman Virginia “Gigi” Lazenby states:

    • “Our industry, made up of mostly very small- and medium-sized businesses, applauds the president for his stated commitment to expanding the responsible development of job-creating American oil and natural gas. As the president made clear this evening, job creation and the restoration of the American dream is a shared goal that exceeds political boundaries.”

    “As the president underscored, our nation continues to increase its domestic oil and gas production, creating thousands of well-paying, private sector jobs, providing much-needed relief and savings for struggling consumers and stimulating an otherwise anemic economy."

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