Cassidy Urges Obama Administration to Expand Offshore Oil and Gas Drilling

Press Release

Today, Congressman Bill Cassidy (R-LA), along with more than 160 Members of Congress, sent a letter to Interior Secretary Sally Jewell urging the Obama Administration to advance a new Five Year Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Leasing Plan for 2017-2022 that encourages opening the new OCS for increased energy development and competitive lease sales.

The Obama Administration recently announced that they are moving forward on developing the next Offshore Oil and Gas Leasing Program for the 2017-2022 period.

The Administration's last plan locked-up 85 percent of our nation's OCS, failed to include new areas of the Alaskan, Atlantic and Pacific coasts and offered the lowest number of lease sales in the history of the offshore planning process.

It is estimated that greater access to the OCS for oil and natural gas development would generate $160 billion in new capital investment between 2017 and 2035, and benefit Louisiana's engineers, fabricators, shipbuilders and service marine operators who stand ready to support offshore drilling.

Dr. Cassidy released the following statement:

"Opening our coasts to more oil and gas lease sales has the potential to create thousands of new jobs and billions in new capital. The Obama Administration's last 5-year leasing plan blocked 85 percent of our nation's outer continental shelf from drilling. The next oil and gas leasing plan must expand lease sales to encourage energy development and let Louisianans take advantage of our natural resources."

Recently, Dr. Cassidy urged Senate Energy and Natural Resources Chair Mary Landrieu to consider the House-passed legislation to expand offshore energy production and lift the revenue sharing cap placed on Louisiana and other gulf coast states by the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 (GOMESA).

The Offshore Energy and Jobs Act (H.R. 2231), which is under the jurisdiction of Senator Landrieu's Energy Committee, is supported by Louisiana's entire House delegation. It opens up parts of the Alaskan, Atlantic and Pacific coasts for offshore energy production; providing access to an estimated 2.5 billion barrels of oil and creating over 1.2 million in new long-term jobs. These provisions were also included in the Lowering Gasoline Prices to Fuel an America that Works Act, which passed the House last month.

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