“U.S. Unconventional Oil and Gas Development-Transforming America’s Environment and Energy” was the theme of a recent event held in Oklahoma City. Marianne Horinko, former EPA Acting Administrator under President Bush, and President of The Horinko Group, Washington, D. C. and I were the featured speakers. Marianne spoke on environmental issues and I addressed energy issues.
This unique gathering also served to memorialize the completion of the piloted Mentoring Environment and Energy Mentor-Protégé Program with participants from several organizations and companies including DEQ, Devon, Chesapeake, and Crowe & Dunlevy.
My presentation was highlighting the many issues that are confronting the oil and gas industry:
repeal of percentage depletion allowance and expensing of IDCs, Keystone XL pipeline authorization, Lesser Prairie Chicken designation as endangered species, Dunes Sagebrush Lizard designation as endangered species, attempts to change the Endangered Species Act, the Study of hydraulic fracturing by the Department of Energy and EPA, Bureau of Land Management ruling on hydraulic fracturing, air emission regulations adopted by EPA, U.S. oil and gas exporting, and other energy issues.
Also during my presentation, I addressed President Obama’s State of the Union remarks about energy. President Obama stated “America is closer to energy independence than we’ve been in decades”. “One of the reasons why is natural gas”. But the President does not stop there, he states “IF extracted safely it’s the bridge fuel”. This indicates strong support of the natural gas industry but then he adds the word “if” which is not fully defined.
Though the natural gas industry is pursuing drilling on federal lands, the President states, “I’ll use my authority to protect more of our pristine federal lands for future generations.”
Then when it comes to incentives in place that have encouraged drilling throughout the U.S. , the President states “Let’s continue that progress with a smarter tax policy that stops giving $4 billion a year to fossil fuel (natural gas) industries that don’t need it, so that we can invest more in fuels of the future that do.”
Marianne Horinko’s presentation was based on a recent report which her company designed to “facilitate effective and constructive communication between local and community-level stakeholders, including public, government, and industry members, by describing the relationship between stakeholder decisions and potential community benefits and costs associated with U.S. unconventional oil and gas development with the goal of long-term community well-being “
“Potential positive and negative community-level economic, environmental, health, and social impacts associated with unconventional oil and gas development are discussed with the report. Although prescriptive recommendations regarding regulatory requirements and/or industry practices were not offered, the report highlights some key considerations that communities near oil and gas development should review. It is important to address these considerations in the context of local conditions and community values…There is not a one-size-fits-all solution to most complex problems, but stakeholders can and should work together during unconventional oil and gas development to find optimum solutions for all.”
It is time we come together: The US has the immediate challenge of striving for energy independence. It is extremely important that the US be in a strong position of securing energy reserves within its own boundaries. Therefore, we need a plan. The US needs energy security. America Needs America’s Energy!
Together we can create the People’s Energy Plan! Go to www.peoplesenergyplan.com to join the effort.
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