Federal Obstruction

5-16-13

16 May 2013 2:40am

Fairbanks News Miner.  Congressman Don Young  (NGP Photo) has filed legislation that would toss out the recently completed managCongressman Don Young, NPR-A, Photo by Dave Harbourement plan for the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska.
   ...   The bill, HR1964, would nullify a plan adopted by the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management in February, Young said. The plan administratively withdrew about half the reserve from oil and gas leasing.  (See more on this story below.)

Alaska Dispatch by Pat Forgey.  "We're in a process of evaluating how we want to adjust the capital program," says Matt Fox, ConocoPhillip's executive vice president for exploration and development. "I'd like to see us adjust the capital program so we can completely arrest the decline in production in Alaska, or even turn it around."

Next Wednesday, May 22nd, the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources will hold a legislative hearing on four bills to protect and expand onshore energy production on federal lands in Alaska and elsewhere.

Subcommittee Hearing Notice - May 15, 2013 - Read more below:

H.R. 1964 (Hastings of WA, with Alaska Congressman Don Young), To amend the Naval Petroleum Reserves Production Act of 1976 to direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct an expeditious program of competitive leasing of oil and gas in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska, including at least one lease sale in the Reserve each year in the period 2013 through 2023, and for other purposes.  ‘‘National Petroleum Reserve Alaska Access Act.”
H.R. 1965 (Lamborn),To streamline and ensure onshore energy permitting, provide for onshore leasing certainty, and give certainty to oil shale development for American energy security, economic development, and job creation, and for other purposes.  “Federal Lands Jobs and Energy Security Act.”
H.R. 1394 (Tipton),  To direct the Secretary of the Interior to establish goals for an all-of-the-above energy production plan strategy on a 4-year basis on all onshore Federal lands managed by the Department of the Interior and the Forest Service,“Planning for American Energy Act.”

H.R. 555 (Johnson, OH), To amend the Mineral Leasing Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct onshore oil and gas lease sales through Internet-based live lease sales, and for other purposes, “BLM Live Internet Auctions Act.”  

Our friend, Steve Borrell urges us to review this Fuel Fix article describing 'unequal treatment under the law'.  It is a good preamble to the notes below.  -dh

Banghazi, IRS, AP: Government is the Problem
 
by Nick Adams
 
America is in debt.
 
Most notably, it owes its remarkable exceptionalism and the durability of its experiment to the men who founded it.
 
With a penetrating prescience, these men grasped better than any before them the true nature of man, and the circumstances under which he flourishes. Where every other Constitution in the world stipulates the rights of government, the American declares the rights of the individual.
 
Limited government is an American value.
 
Sadly, the greatest nation in the world has drifted from the spirit of that hallowed document, its authors and this exceptional value.
 
Countless administrations and agencies evidence a massively expanding federal government.
 
And this week, a trifecta of problems promptly arrives: Benghazi, IRS persecution and AP records seizure.
 
More salient examples of precisely what the founders of the magnificent America dreaded and insulated against cannot be conceived.
 
No citizen should fear any portion of the government in a healthy republic. No arm of government should be a weapon of intimidation or political retribution. And yet the IRS under Kennedy, Nixon, Johnson, Obama and possibly others has served not just as the pipeline of wealth distribution, but also for these exact nefarious purposes.
 
The matter of Benghazi is deeply perturbing. One thing has always been true about America: it never leaves one of its own behind. It is a message steeped in military code that has been reinforced ceaselessly in history and popular culture. Yet increasingly it appears this may well have happened on September 11, 2012.
 
Ambassador Stevens, Sean Smith, Glen Doherty, and Tyrone Woods deserve justice, as do the American people.
 
More information on the legal basis must emerge before we can render a judgment on the Department of Justice (DOJ) seizure of AP record logs, but the threats the action poses to a free press and the newsgathering process are alarmingly clear.
 
This ‘scandal’ trio has the press corps in a lather not seen since the George W Bush administration.
 
Suddenly they find their skepticism dissipating; their backsides on the very same bleachers as conservatives. Suddenly, they understand, at least momentarily, what the fuss has been about. But it’s not enough. It’s shameful. For too long, the mainstream media has protected and disseminated liberal ideology to the detriment of the nation. Reporting on the Boston terror attack, and Benghazi prior to the emergence of whistleblowers and clear changes to talking points, by major US media, unmistakably revealed their automatic assumption: American guilt. Nothing could be more pernicious than this mindset; nothing more offensive or contrary to the American narrative.
In just days, voices that for years were derided and traduced were vindicated and recognized as visionary. Those voices had, and have, a prescience America’s founders would be proud of; they were, and remain, in keeping with a tradition of exceptionalism. Social reform to the limited government value of America will lead to its evolution to the moribund mediocrity of a European state.
 
At the commencement speech to the graduating class of Ohio State less than a fortnight ago, President Obama made the following observation:
“Unfortunately, you’ve grown up hearing voices that incessantly warn of government as nothing more than some separate, sinister entity that’s at the root of all our problems.
 
"Some of these same voices also do their best to gum up the works. They’ll warn that tyranny always lurking just around the corner. You should reject these voices. Because what they suggest is that our brave, and creative, and unique experiment in self-rule is somehow just a sham with which we can’t be trusted.”
 
Under the menacing shadows of Benghazi, the IRS and the AP, these words now return to haunt him.
Commentary.  (We intentionaly placed this Alaska issue next to a comment on overreaching government actions.  The subjects are different; the principles are in common.)
 
According to our friends at the Resource Development Council for Alaska, "The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released a revised assessment of the Bristol Bay region." The revised draft prematurely tries to inventory the effects of a large mining project on state -- not federal -- lands before a project submits its plans.
 
RDC notes that the EPA initiative is flawed because it cannot possibly know the development plan and mitigating measures a large mining interest will take until an entity has filed for permits.
 
RDC believes, "that any project ... should be allowed to be vetted through existing permitting processes, and be properly evaluated through the National Environmental Policy Act."
 
We are also concerned that, should the agency continue to seek to determine the merits of a project before an advocate files plans for such a project, it will set a dangerous precedent for all natural resource work requiring EPA permit approvals.
 
The precedent could well enable a rogue EPA to use its power to conduct faulty "assessments" of oil and gas, mining, timber, road, bridge, or other human activities before advocates have even perfected their plans and filed complete permit applications with the EPA--or other agencies.  It could extend that power by announcing that the assesment had produced evidence that such and such a project should not occur.
 
Furthermore, the EPA's threatening action to stop leaseholders of state lands to file permits for a project endangers the statehood compact among Alaska Citizens, the state government, the Congress and the Administration.  In short, we see this action as a "taking" or stripping away of Alaska statehood rights.  It is a "Taking" if the EPA uses this strawman "Assessment" to prematurely veto a project.  It is a "Taking" even if the project goes forward to the extent that the Feds, with Enviro-extremist and special interest encouragement, has (already) dearly cost the taxpayers of America, the citizens of Alaska, the State as a lessor and a company lessee of state lands.
 
We join with RDC in encouraging everyone to submit written comments by the May   31st deadline, discouraging the EPA from preemptively vetoing projects in the Bristol Bay area--or, anywhere else, for that matter.
 
"Tell the EPA to stop undermining existing regulatory processes and avoid setting a dangerous precedent for development", RDC urges.
 
This week, the current administration stands accused of ignoring or defying the "rule of law" with respect to three current crises it faces.  We believe that developing "assessments" before anyone files for a natural resources related permit that might affect that watershed is arbitrary and capricious regulatory behavior that provides more evidence of federal willingness to violate due process and the rule of law.
 
See RDC's full Action Alert for more a historical perspective and direction for how to file your comment.  Please comment and then send your comment to us so that we may reprint it.
 
-dh
Yesterday, the House Natural Resources Committee approved H.R. 1613, the “Outer Continental Shelf Transboundary Hydrocarbon Agreements Authorization Act” with a bipartisan vote of 25-16.  The bill would lift the current moratorium on drilling along the maritime border and provide new access to an area estimated to contain as much as 172 million barrels of oil and 304 billion cubic feet of natural gas.  This will expand energy development, create new American jobs, lower energy prices, generate new revenue, and make America more energy secure. 
 
Congressman Doc Hastings, Resources Chairman, Photo by Dave Harbour“Approval of this legislation by the Committee is important to finalizing this agreement and expanding American energy production.  This bill would create jobs, lower energy prices by increasing our domestic supply, generate new federal revenue to help lower the debt and strengthen our economy, and make America more energy secure by opening up new areas in the Gulf of Mexico to exploration and development.  In addition, this important legislation would lay the framework for transboundary agreements with other nations that will allow America to fully utilize its shared natural energy reserves.” said Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (NGP Photo).

Rigzone: Washington Must Find a Way to Say 'Yes' to Offshore Exploration

 
 
 
 
 

 

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5-15-13

15 May 2013 7:59am

The public service goal of Northern Gas Pipeline is to educate.  Will you join us as a Public Service Sponsor or Stakeholder?  -dh

ELECTED OFFICIALS EVERYWHERE, LISTEN!   Calgary Herald by Eric Pedersen.  The hard lesson of "be careful what you wish for, as you may just get it," has been learned by all the First Nations people along the route of the Mackenzie Valley pipeline. More than 20 years later, it is still not built, and now, with low gas prices, it will never be built. All the economic benefits have been lost forever.  The people of the Mackenzie Delta and Mackenzie Valley are in hindsight wishing there was gas flowing down a pipeline.  Your short-term thinking will strangle your young people's future.  

The Columbus, Indiana Republic reported last night that Alaska Governor Sean Parnell, NYC rating agencies, analysts, bankers, Photo by Dave HarbourGovernor Sean Parnell (NGP Photo) is in New York talking with rating agencies and banks about, "Alaska's Budget and Economic Outlook".  We visited for two days with dozens of these NYC analysts and rating agencies six years ago.  We answered a thousand questions about Alaska's budget, gas pipeline and oil and gas issues.  Several dozen of those analysts and several score regulators are still NGP readers.  We believe the Governor will find a highly astute and educated audience among the City's financial community.  -dh 

State Legislators Support Congressional Efforts to Protect State Revenues From “theft” of $110 Million By Federal Overreach.

 

Late yesterday we received Cathy Giessel, Alaska State Senate, Energy Producing States Coalition, Photo by Dave Harboura statement from leaders of the Energy Producing States Coalition (EPSC), including Senator Cathy Giessel (NGP Photo), Chairman-Elect.  The statement notes the Coalition's support of the “State Mineral Revenue Protection Act,” which would ensure that the states are not deprived of mineral revenue from natural resource development on Federal lands in the various states are actually shared with the state.  The federal government has recently threatened to 'garnish' the states' share of such revenue to help pay for 'sequestration'.  Other leaders of the Coalition include Chairman Roger Barrus, a Utah Representative and Past Chairman Thomas Lubnau, Wyoming's Speaker of the House.  U.S. House and Senate Members supporting the measure include: Representative Cynthia M. Lummis (R, WY), Representative Rob Bishop (R, UT 1), Representative Jason Chaffetz (R, UT 3), Representative Kevin Cramer (R, ND), Representative Steve Pearce (R, NM 2), Representative Chris Stewart (R, UT 2), Senator Michael Enzi (R, WY), Senator John Barrasso (R, WY), Senator Tom Udall (D, NM), Senator Heidi Heitkamp (D, ND), Senator Orrin Hatch (R, UT), Senator John Hoeven (R, ND) and Senator James Risch (R, ID). 

NPR-A Targeted As U.S. House Acts to Create Jobs, Reduce Prices, Grow Economy 

WASHINGTON, D.C., May 15, 2013 - Members of the House Natural Resources Committee introduced two bills to protect and expand U.S. onshore energy production on federal lands. The bills would remove government roadblocks and hurdles that delay American energy production, promote production of our oil shale resources, and ensure that oil and natural gas resources in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A) are developed and transported in a timely, efficient manner.

 

“Our onshore federal lands Congressman Doc Hastings, NPR-A, Photo by Dave Harbourcontain incredible potential for energy production, job creation, and economic growth. Yet federal red-tape and regulations imposed by the Obama Administration are keeping these resources under tight lock-and-key,” said House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (NGP Photo). “These bills will help protect our oil and natural gas resources from onerous, duplicative federal regulatory hurdles and streamline the process so that energy production on federal lands can be as successful on private and state lands.”
 
A legislative hearing on the bills will be held on Tuesday, May 21, 2013. The hearing will also include H.R. 555, the BLM Live Internet Auctions Act by Rep. Bill Johnson (OH-06) and H.R. 1394, Planning for American Energy Act by Rep. Scott Tipton (CO-03).
 
The Federal Lands Jobs and Energy Security Act (H.R. 1965), introduced by Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources Chairman Doug Lamborn (CO-05), would streamline government hurdles that block and delay development of our onshore oil and natural gas and renewable energy resources. The bill would reform the leasing process for onshore oil and natural gas projects on federal lands to eliminate unnecessary delays; reform the process for energy permitting, once a lease is in hand, to encourage the timely development of our federal resources; ensure funds are available for efficient wind and solar permitting; and set clear rules for the development of U.S. oil shale resources.
 
Congressman Don Young, Photo by Dave HarbourThe National Petroleum Reserve Alaska Access Act (H.R. 1964), introduced by Chairman Hastings and Rep. Don Young (NGP Photo) would cut through bureaucratic red tape to unlock the full potential of energy resources in the NPR-A by ensuring that oil and natural gas are developed and transported in a timely and efficient manner.  
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5-14-13

14 May 2013 8:54am

Senator John Barrasso of Wyoming supports free trade and freedom to export LNG, an issue critical to the future of Alaska gas pipelines.  -dh

Ocean Policy: Obama's End Run Around Congress and The Constitution.  We began alerting readers to the White House move to zone the oceans and further restrict freedom of citizens four years ago and have added more details since then.  We applaud Representative Millett's current observations, expressed here.  

When our readers click to the actual article and scroll down to the comment section they will be astounded.  As knowledgeable observers, our readers will at once recognize the illiteracy of commenters and their mean spirits.  One's instinct could well lead to a conclusion that the commenters are recruits from environmental activist cells and graduates of the George Soros School of Propaganda.

We have seen similar comment treatment given to other legislators who provide logical, important reaction to overreaching government activity.

We lament that news media blogs perpetuate this nasty behavior and constant ad hominem criticism by allowing commenters to remain anonymous.

If news media wanted truly thoughtful commentary, they would require proper commenter identification.

Until then, we can only offer our own appreciation to Representative Millett on behalf of our own loyal, well-studied and well-behaved readers.

-dh 

ADN Op-Ed by Rep. Charisse Millett (NGP Photo).  

Alaskans today have tremendous potential opportunities that Charisse Millett, ADN, Ocean Policy, Alaska, House of Representatives, Photo by Dave Harbourcan provide lasting benefits for decades to come. Plentiful energy and mineral resources, new Arctic shipping lanes, vibrant fisheries, and a bustling tourism industry are but a few of the areas that could all combine to usher in a new era of unprecedented economic and societal prosperity for the people of Alaska and beyond.  Unfortunately, prospects for this bright future could potentially be delayed if not derailed as a result of President Obama's issuance of the July 2010 National Ocean Policy Executive Order and the recently-released National Ocean Policy Final Implementation Plan.

 

 

 

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5-8-13

08 May 2013 7:37am

Today in Washington, House Natural Doc Hastings, Resources, US House, DOI, duplicating state regulations, hydraulic fracturing, Photo by Dave HarbourResources Chairman Doc Hastings (NGP Photo) called the “DOI Hydraulic Fracturing Rule: A Recipe for Government Waste, Duplication and Delay.”  See full text here.

APRN, by  Alexandra Gutierrez.  If this legislative session was all about oil, the next one could be more focused on natural gas. The end goal is a pipeline capable of moving the massive supply of gas on North Slope to market. APRN’s Alexandra Gutierrez reports that the state is looking at the issue of getting a project online from multiple angles.

For Our Early Morning Readers!  Today the Division of Oil and Gas will hold its Bill Barron, Alaska Division of Oil and Gas, Lease Sale, Cook Inlet, Geothermal, Photo by Dave Harbourannual areawide oil and gas lease sales for the Alaska Peninsula and Cook Inlet as well as a geothermal lease sale for Augustine Island. Division Director Bill Barron (NGP Photo) will be available directly after the lease sales for interviews.

 
Bid opening for the three lease sales begins at 9 a.m. at the Dena’ina Civic and Convention Center, located at 600 West 7th Avenue in Anchorage. The lease sales will be conducted in this order: Alaska Peninsula, Augustine Island, and then Cook Inlet.
 
For background information on the state’s oil and gas lease sale program, go to http://dog.dnr.alaska.gov/Leasing/LeaseSales.htm. For information regarding geothermal lease sales, go to http://dog.dnr.alaska.gov/Leasing/GeothermalLeasing.htm.
Also, yesterday in Washington: House Subcommittee Examines Federal Impediments to Job Creation, Economic Growth, & Recreation on Public Lands 
 
National Ocean Policy
“As many of you are aware, the Obama Administration released an executive order in 2010 that created a National Ocean Policy. The Administration decided to sidestep the legislative process despite the fact that four Congresses had considered legislation to create a very similar ocean policy and created the National Ocean Policy by executive order and without statutory authority. Not only does this Policy add new policy goals and requirements for federal agencies to meet when permitting activities, it creates a new level of bureaucracy that will certainly add more hoops for all Americans to jump through.”
Endangered Species Act
“One of the other laws that is requiring a great deal of focus this Congress is the Endangered Species Act, which was last authorized by Congress nearly 25 years ago. This law has done more to keep environmental lawyers in business than it has to recover species or to balance the needs of average Americans.
Aside from the burdens created by the ESA, to most objective observers, the law is failing to achieve even its primary purpose of species recovery. Federal agencies charged with its implementation every year spend hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars under the rubric of ‘endangered species recovery.’ Yet, the law, over the past 40 years has only achieved, at best, a one or two percent recovery rate.” 
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5-7-13 Offshore Technology Conference Features Coastal Governors Supporting Energy Development

07 May 2013 7:13am

Senator Lisa Murkowski (NGP Photo) Senator Lisa Murkowski, Legacy Wells, Photo by Dave Harbourtoday criticized the Interior Department’s budget proposal for attempting to make Alaska pay for the decades-old broken promises of the federal government.
Alberta Oil: Could the N.W.T.’s Canol shale be the next Bakken?
CBC News: Enbridge Gas New Brunswick has won its legal challenge of provincial regulations that stipulate how the Energy and Utilities Board sets distribution rates.

Yesterday, at Houston's Offshore Technology Conference, Alaska was a big subject of discussion (See our report yesterday).  From the Houston Chronicle, comes the following commentary by Consumer Energy Alliance President, David Holt (NGP Photo) -dh.  In Alaska, where a vast pool of oil and natural gas resources is not only surveyed but accessible, federal policy is also halting development. Several companies have temporarily suspended exploration offshore Alaska due to regulatory uncertainty. Meanwhile, Russia and Norway are moving to expand their Arctic drilling capabilities, shifting investment and expertise away from American interests and putting us behind the curve in developing our Arctic resources.  Yesterday at OTC, a group of eight coastal governors ... called for an improved dialogue with the federal government to allow ...

Other news media references to the OTC include: Wall Street Journal: “Coastal Governors Want More Offshore Drilling”

 ... expanded access to U.S. waters. They noted that 85 percent of the nation's OCS is currently off limits. They also urged federal policymakers to better manage regulatory standards for offshore development to provide increased certainty and more efficient timelines for operators. Finally, the governors endorsed legislative efforts to expand oil and gas revenue-sharing to all coastal states, underscoring the importance of such revenues to state coastal management and infrastructure development programs.  Policymakers should take their cues from the can-do spirit of OTC and apply that same dynamism to fashioning reasonable offshore regulations. Building on our undeniable success and technological advancement in developing our onshore resources, we should be looking to the sea to help supply our nation with domestic oil and natural gas in a safe, reliable and responsible manner. With a renewed focus on the OCS and the flexibility to allow states to determine their own fate, Washington could help usher in the next energy boom.  The future of American energy production is offshore, just as much as it's onshore, and it's time our federal policymakers enable this growth."

Governor Sean Parnell's office provided the following report: May 6, 2013, Houston, TX – Alaska Governor Sean Parnell, Texas Governor Rick Perry, Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant, Alabama Governor Robert Bentley, South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley and North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory headlined a panel today....   (See Multi Media and Photos Here)

The governors underscored their support for federal legislation mandating revenue sharing from the development of oil, gas and renewable energy resources in the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). They also highlighted the importance of efficient, timely, and consistent regulatory approval for offshore development.
 
In his remarks, Governor Parnell cited lower unemployment in more hospitable places like Aberdeen, Scotland, West Texas, Alberta and North Dakota, and the importance of the federal government unlocking resources to enable new energy production to create jobs.
 
“Those places that are allowed to grow create more opportunity for our people,” Governor Parnell said. “We should not accept nearly 12 million Americans out of work.
 
“As chair of the OCS Governors Coalition, we’re advocating to expand revenue sharing to states that host offshore development. Currently, Eastern Seaboard states and Alaska are generally not eligible to share in revenues generated by oil, gas, and renewables in the OCS. These states should be treated equitably with other coastal states.
 
“We continue to urge the Obama administration to provide timely regulatory approval for the development of oil, gas, and renewable energy resources in the OCS. More timely federal decision-making means more jobs sooner for Americans and reduces our nation’s growing debt.
 
“In the U.S. Interior Department’s Five-Year Plan for Oil and Gas Leasing for 2012-2017, the department did not open access to new areas through 2017, including leases in the Atlantic, despite the fact that a lease sale off of Virginia’s coast had been included in a previous five-year plan. What’s more, Interior postponed all Arctic OCS lease sales by one year from the date proposed in the draft plan. As it stands, 85 percent of America’s OCS is effectively closed to oil and natural gas exploration. This is unacceptable.”
 
Since its formation in 2011, the coalition of coastal governors has advocated for energy expansion through safe and responsible resource development and has supported proactive offshore energy production as part of a comprehensive national energy policy. The coalition provides a discussion and policy platform, and includes the governors of Alaska, Louisiana, Texas, Virginia, Mississippi, Alabama, South Carolina, and North Carolina.
 
“When it comes to the federal government, the states often only see delay,” said Governor Parnell. “We are looking for more coordination by the federal government with the states instead of federal decision-making without them.”
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5-6-13

06 May 2013 9:15am

 Calgary Herald.  Less than five months after his appointment, Bryan Gould is no longer president of Athabasca Oil Corp., the company announced Monday.

Commentary: Today in Houston, the Offshore Governor Sean Parnell, Alaska, OTC Conference, Houston, OCS Governors Coalition, Photo by Dave HarbourTechnology Conference features the Outer Continental Shelf Governors' Coalition -- including Alaska Governor Sean Parnell (NGP Photo) -- discussing the need for better federal-state communication on OCS policymaking and the benefits of OCS development for coastal states and
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energy consumers. We will provide an update on the conference tomorrow.   We compliment Governor Parnell for his leadership in this effort to work with other coastal governors.  Their effort will support Alaska's need to sustain throughput of the Trans Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) as well as Alaska's economy which is 90% dependent on Alaska North Slope production.  Governor Parnell's efforts also support the country's need for a stronger economy, energy self sufficiency, national security and massive job creation.  -dh

Fuel Fix.  Governors from Alaska and states bordering the Gulf of Mexico are reaching out Governor Rick Perry, Texas, Houston, OTC Conference, OCS Governors Coalition, Photo by Dave HarbourRobert Bentley, Governor, Alabama, IOGCC, OCS Governors Coalition, Doctor, OTC Conference Houston, Photo by Dave Harbourto their counterparts along the West and East Coast today in a bid to get them more involved in decisions about energy production offshore.  The push for a new Outer Continental Shelf Governors Coalition is led by four governors who know a little something about oil and gas production offshore: Rick Perry (NGP Photo-R) of Texas, Bobby Jindal of Louisiana, Haley Barbour of Mississippi and Sean Parnell of Alaska (Coalition Chairman).  In an invitation to other coastal state governors, the foursome said they hoped the coalition would “foster an appropriate dialogue between the coastal states and the administrationPhil Bryant, Governor, Mississippi, OCS Governors Coalition, IOGCC, Photo by Dave Harbour” about offshore drilling. The group would give the governors a vehicle to lobby for expanded drilling offshore.  (Note: our sources tell us that other panel members will include: Alabama Governor Robert Bently (NGP Photo-Upper L), Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant (NGP Photo-R), South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory, Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell's Chief of Staff Martin Kent and Louisana Governor Bobby Jindal's Executive Assistant for Coastal Activities, Garret Graves.  -dh)

This week in Washington from Consumer Energy Alliance sources:

Tomorrow:

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (F.R. Page 20637) holds a meeting of the Hydraulic Fracturing Research Advisory Panel to provide an opportunity for independent expert members of the ad hoc panel to provide comment on EPA's study of the potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water resources, May 7-8. The meeting begins at 9:30amET at the Westin Arlington Gateway Hotel (801 North Glebe Road) in Arlington, VA. Event available via webcast at http://www.epa.gov/sab.
 
The House Appropriations Committee Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee holds a hearing on the budget for the Bureau of Land Management at9:30am ET in B-308 Rayburn House Office Building.
 
The Natural Resources Committee holds a full committee hearing on H.R.527, the "Responsible Helium Administration and Stewardship Act” at 9:30am ET in 366 Dirken Senate Office Building.
 
The House Science Committee Energy Subcommittee and Environment Subcommittee hold a joint hearing on "Keystone XL Pipeline: Examination of Scientific and Environmental Issues” at10:00am ET in 2318 Rayburn House Office Building.
 
The American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research (AEI) holds a discussion on "America's Natural Gas: Should Exports be Restricted?” at 10:00am ET at AEI (1150 17th Street NW, 12th Floor) in Washington, DC. The event can be viewed online here.
 
The House Energy and Commerce Committee Energy and Power Subcommittee will hold ahearing on "U.S. Energy Abundance: Exports and the Changing Global Energy Landscape” at 10:00am ETin 2123 Rayburn House Office Building.
 
The Senate Appropriations Committee Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee will hold a hearing on "FY2014 Budget Request for the Department of the Interior” at10:30am ET in 124 Dirksen Senate Office Building.
 
Wednesday, May 8
 
The Environmental and Energy Study Institute holds a briefing on "Energy Efficient Infrastructure for More Resilient Local Economies: The Role of District Energy, CHP (combined heat and power), and Microgrids." The briefing begins at 9:30am ETin 562 Dirksen Senate Office Building. Please RSVP here.
 
The House Natural Resources Committee will hold a hearing on "DOI Hydraulic Fracturing Rule: A Recipe for Government Waste, Duplication and Delay” at 10:00am ET in 1324 Longworth House Office Building.
 
The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will hold a full committee markup of S.306, the "Bureau of Reclamation Small Conduit Hydropower Development and Rural Jobs Act"; S.545, the "Hydropower Improvement Act of 2013"; S.761, the "Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act of 2013"; H.R.267, the "Hydropower Regulatory Efficiency Act of 2013"; and H.R.678, the "Bureau of Reclamation Small Conduit Hydropower Development and Rural Jobs Act." The mark-up begins at 11:30am ET in 366 Dirksen Senate Office Building.
 
The House Appropriations Committee Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee hold a hearing on the budget for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) at1:00pm ET in 2359 Rayburn House Office Building.
 
Senate Appropriations Committee Energy and Water Development Subcommittee will hold ahearing on "The FY2014 funding request and budget justification for the Army Corps of Engineers and Bureau of Reclamation” at2:30pm ET in 192 Dirksen Senate Office Building.
 
The Center for Strategic and International Studies' (CSIS) Abshire-Inamori Leadership Academy and Nuclear Energy Program hold a "College Champions Debate Nuclear Energy," panel discussion on the future of nuclear energy in the United States with student teams from Georgetown University and Northwestern University. The event begins at 5:45pm ET at CSIS (1800 K Street NW) in Washington, DC.
 
Thursday, May 9
 
Senate Environment and Public Works will hold a full committee hearing on the nomination of Gina McCarthy to be administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. The hearing will begin at 9:15am ET in 406 Dirksen Senate Office Building.
 
The House Energy and Commerce Committee Energy and Power Subcommittee hold ahearing on "American Energy Security and Innovation: Grid Reliability Challenges in a Shifting Energy Resource Landscape” at 9:30am ET in 2123 Rayburn House Office Building.
 
Americans for a Clean Energy Grid (ACEG) and Synapse Energy Economics will hold a news conference to release a new report, "Doubling Wind in PJM Will Save Consumers Billions," that details how "changes in energy generation within the Mid-Atlantic region (PJM) that could save consumers billions and require little new infrastructure." The press conference begins at 1:30pm ET at the UN Foundation Office (1615 M Street NW, 7thFloor) in Washington, DC.

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