Cathy Giessel, Alaska State Senate, Bristol Bay Assessment, Watershead, Photo by Dave Harbour
Governor Sean Parnell (NGP Photo) announced an exploration proposal for the state to finance development of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) 1002 Area, that the Congress designated for oil and gas development.
 
Alaska Governor Sean Parnell, a“Accurately defining the oil and gas resource potential is a critical part of understanding the value of the 1002 Area to the nation,” Governor Parnell said. “The federal government has the responsibility to do this under federal law, but is clearly reluctant to do so. Therefore, we are stepping forward with our expertise and financing to provide a detailed resource evaluation and exploration proposal.”
 
Parnell outlined the proposal in a letter sent to Interior Secretary Sally Jewell, and he and Department of Natural Resources Commissioner Dan Sullivan rolled out the 187-page document during a press event at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce headquarters in Washington, D.C. 
 
Alaska Senator Cathy Giessel (NGP Photo) has again set the example for public officials by commenting during a federal agency comment period.  In March she wrote the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) urging it to extend its comment period for the Revised Draft Bristol Bay Assessment (BBA).   See her full comment here.  Go here, to the Resource Development Council for Alaska website for directions on how our readers may also comment before the May 31 deadline.  -dh
Consumer Energy Alliance Energy Leads: 
 
POLITICO: Finding truth in the Keystone debate – Our national debate over the Keystone XL pipeline has reached a critical point as we await a decision. The decision to allow development of this pipeline is long overdue, and hopefully may finally come in just a few weeks or months. Despite the economic benefits its construction is sure to provide, critics continue to argue that the project poses too great a risk to American citizens and our environment.
 
Washington Post: Overheated rhetoric on climate change doesn’t make for good policies – Climate change is an issue that needs to be discussed thoughtfully and objectively. Unfortunately, claims that distort the facts hinder the legitimate evaluation of policy options. The rhetoric has driven some policymakers toward costly regulations and policies that will harm hardworking American families and do little to decrease global carbon emissions. The Obama administration’s decision to delay, and possibly deny, the Keystone XL pipeline is a prime example.
 
New York Times: A Black Mound of Canadian Oil Waste Is Rising Over Detroit – Assumption Park gives residents of this city lovely views of the Ambassador Bridge and the Detroit skyline. Lately they’ve been treated to another sight: a three-story pile of petroleum coke covering an entire city block on the other side of the Detroit River. Detroit’s ever-growing black mountain is the unloved, unwanted and long overlooked byproduct of Canada’s oil sands boom.
 
Reuters: At margins of shale oil boom, a tempered euphoria – For the past three years, the boom in the U.S. shale oil industry has outstripped all expectations. Production surged far faster than any forecasts; drillers raced to secure space in new pipelines to get their crude to market. Now, at the periphery, that may be changing – at least for a while.
 
The Hill: The irony of energy – It is estimated that there is enough shale gas in our country to supply our energy needs for as long as 200 years.  This coupled with Canadian tar sands oil gives us an exceptional competitive advantage in the world.  The positive implications of this for our economy and our prosperity are difficult to overstate.  It is simply huge … and ironic.
 
National Journal (Energy Experts Blog): What’s at Stake with Natural-Gas Exports?  Even though the administration holds most of the decision-making power on the export issues, Capitol Hill is making sure its voice is heard. The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on Tuesday holds the second of a series of forums on natural gas. This one deals exclusively with the export question. The House Energy and Commerce Committee held a similar hearing a couple of weeks ago. In addition to these official events, policymakers are holding briefings and other smaller events on the topic.
 
The average price for regular gasoline at U.S. pumps rose 11.19 cents a gallon in the past two weeks to $3.6566 a gallon, according to Lundberg Survey Inc. The survey covers the period ended May 17 and is based on information obtained at about 2,500 filling stations by the Camarillo, California-based company. The average, which reached a year-to-date peak of $3.795 in the period ended Feb. 22, is 12.67 cents below the year-earlier price of $3.7833 a gallon.