Democrats push their anti energy agenda

Susan Ferrechio:

Domestic oil and gas companies are bracing for proposals by the Obama administration and some in Congress that would limit oil and gas production both on land and offshore while increasing taxation and regulation of the industry.

The House Natural Resources Committee has released a draft bill that would raise by 50 percent royalty fees imposed on companies drilling on federal land and cut their 10-year leases in half.

The proposal calls for a “zero-discharge” requirement to be imposed on all new offshore leasing areas and would end royalty relief programs aimed at promoting deepwater exploration and production of natural gas and crude oil.

The American Petroleum Institute called the proposal “one of the most anti-oil-and-gas-development pieces of legislation to be considered by Congress so far this session,” but Democrats see it as a way to bring about safe and environmentally sound domestic oil and gas production while at the same time promoting renewable energy.

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Just four House Democrats come from districts with a stake in oil and gas production, which leaves the industry with very few allies in the majority.

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And some of those have already sold out on the cap and trade bill. If the Democrats had been honest about their energy agenda in the 2008 election they would have lost Congress and the Presidency. The Republicans had them on the defensive about drilling and domestic production. The GOP needs to put them back on the defensive about their anti energy policies. The Democrats will have no excuses about high energy prices next year since their policies will be responsible. What Republicans need to do is make sure voters understand that greedy Democrat and not the energy companies are the cause of the problem.