Hastings Warns America Obama Is Hurting TAPS

 The Daily Caller by Joe Rossamondo.  The Obama administration is setting the stage for the dismantling of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline and poses the greatest threat to its existence today, according to House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (NGP Photo).  The 800-mile pipeline cost $8 billion to construct in the 1970s, and has moved more than 18 billion barrels of crude oil. Three oil companies constructed it, in the face of significant opposition from environmentalists, in response to the 1973 Arab oil embargo.  (Note: we commend Chairman Hastings for his insight.  He is the only non-Alaska beltway leader who has correctly identified the importance of Alaska to the nation in recent years.  Others in a position to do so, like two-time Senate Energy Committee Chairman Jeff Bingaman, have been derelict in their duty to defend the country by ignoring or working against Alaska’s potential energy contribution.  In this report, Hastings notes the importance of Alaska’s potential loss to the nation in terms of domestic oil and continuously he reminds the Obama administration and his colleagues of Alaska’s ability to support America’s economic and job recovery.  -dh)