NOIA President Comments on Passage of HR 2021

National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA) President Randall Luthi has issued the following in response to the House of Representative’s passage of HR 2021.

“The passage of  HR 2021, the Jobs and Permitting Act of 2011, is a key to opening the door to American energy security and jobs, not only in the near future, but in 2021 as well.   This bill, along with others passed earlier by the House of Representatives, is setting a firm foundation for our future.  It is my hope the Senate will take up and pass this legislation in the near future.

“Offshore oil and gas is the great untapped, home-grown source of reliable, reasonably priced energy for the United States.  We cannot go to the pump without feeling the pain induced by having to rely upon foreign sources for over 50% of our oil.  For some reason, we remain content to look to the Middle East or South America to buy oil and gas that we could produce at home.  Other countries, including Cuba, are actively searching their offshore lands for oil and gas and we consumers will be actively searching our wallets to pay for foreign oil.

“The passage of HR 2021 will help change that flow of foreign oil.  In Alaska, it is estimated that 27.9 billion barrels of oil and 122 trillion cubic feet of gas could be developed offshore.  But we have to allow exploration before we know the true potential. Right now the oil and gas industry provides approximately 9.2 million jobs.  Jobs estimated to be created with offshore energy in Alaska could be 50,000 or more.

“It’s time to move forward, to move forward safely and with purpose.  The bipartisan passage of HR 2021 will be an asset to this nation, our economy and put us on the path to energy reliability and job security now.”