Obama Says “Sim” to Energy Jobs in Brazil, “Não” to Energy Jobs in America

White House Pushes Initiative to Drill in Brazil After Years of Blocking More American-Made Energy

Obama administration officials are kicking off an effort next week to create energy jobs—in Brazil. Meanwhile, millions of Americans don’t have jobs and are asking their elected leaders to support increased American energy production to lower gas prices and reduce our dependence on foreign oil.

While President Obama creates energy jobs in Brazil, Democrats have repeatedly stonewalled new energy production in America that would create jobs for Americans and lower gas prices.

Obama administration regulations that would destroy jobs and put a stranglehold on American-made energy have repeatedly run into legal challenges, most recently on Friday, when a federal judge threw out regulations intended to slow down permitting for new oil and gas exploration.

BACKGROUND

Obama administration officials are kicking off an effort next week to create energy jobs—in Brazil. Meanwhile, millions of Americans don’t have jobs and are asking their elected leaders to support increased American energy production to lower gas prices and reduce our dependence on foreign oil:

OBAMA ADMINISTRATION PLANNING TRIP TO DEVELOP “OIL-AND-GAS RESOURCES” IN BRAZIL: “A top Energy Department official will travel to Brazil next week to launch a high-level partnership aimed at developing the South American country’s oil-and-gas resources.” (Andrew Restuccia, “Obama Administration to Launch Brazil Energy Partnership Next Week,” The Hill, 8/12/2011)

AVERAGE GAS PRICE IN U.S. AT $3.59/GALLON, AS OPPOSED TO $2.75/GALLON A YEAR AGO. (“Daily Fuel Gauge Report,” AAA, Accessed 8/16/2011)

While President Obama creates energy jobs in Brazil, Democrats have repeatedly stonewalled new energy production in America that would create jobs for Americans and lower gas prices:

DEMOCRATS RESCINDED PRIOR LEASES UPON WINNING WHITE HOUSE IN 2008: “Successful bidders also risk cancellation of their valid leases. In February 2009, the Interior Secretary withdrew 77 of the leases sold at the 2008 Utah lease sale because BLM had deviated ‘in important respects’ from its normal oil and gas leasing procedures. … Yet the Secretary’s decision to withdraw 77 Utah leases was made without any consultation with the Utah BLM office.” (p. 34, “Rising Energy Costs: An Intentional Result of Government Action,” U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, 5/23/2011)

INTERIOR SECRETARY KEN SALAZAR DEFENDED RESCINDING LEASES AS A PRODUCT OF DIFFERENT “POLICY POSITIONS”: “Secretary Salazar told reporters at the time of the announcement, ‘The policy positions of the department over the last eight years have really been driven out of the White House, and we’re looking at many of those decisions.'” (Juliet Epstein, “Salazar Voids Drilling Leases On Public Lands in Utah,” The Washington Post, 2/5/2009)

OBAMA’S LIZARD CONSERVATION RULES BLOCKING NEW AMERICAN-MADE ENERGY: “Frustration is swelling among residents and lawmakers in one of the most productive oil and natural gas basins in the nation, and it’s all because federal wildlife managers have proposed endangered species protections for a small lizard. … Oil and gas industry groups worry that listing the lizard would take thousands of acres in the Permian Basin out of production. They say that could lead to lost jobs, fewer royalties and less tax revenue, higher gasoline prices and less energy security as the nation looks to wean itself from foreign oil supplies.

“The Permian Basin produces almost 20 percent of the nation’s crude oil. The region’s reserves are second only to Alaska’s.” (Susan Montoya Bryan, “List Lizard, Lose Jobs, Say Critics in Oil-Gas Land,” Associated Press, 4/28/2011)

WHITE HOUSE INSTITUTED A “DE FACTO MORATORIUM”: “Gulf state lawmakers and the oil industry have accused the department of dragging its feet on the permits, enacting a de facto moratorium against new drilling, while the department has said it needs to ensure that safety and environmental protections are in place.” (Dan Berman and Darren Goode, “Interior Appeals Oil Drilling Ruling,” Politico, 3/4/2011)

“But the nation’s second largest shallow-water driller, Seahawk, filed for bankruptcy earlier this month, citing a lack of permits.

“The Energy Information Administration estimated the country would lose 74,000 barrels a day in oil production in 2011 as a result of a six-month drilling moratorium.” (Steve Hargreaves, “Court Orders Obama to Act on Permits,” CNN, 2/21/2011)

Obama administration regulations that would destroy jobs and put a stranglehold on American-made energy have repeatedly run into legal challenges, most recently on Friday, when a federal judge threw out regulations intended to slow down permitting for new oil and gas exploration:

NEW OBAMA ENERGY RULES THROWN OUT: “A judge on Friday threw out Obama administration rules that sought to slow down expedited environmental review of oil and gas drilling on federal land.

“U.S. District Judge Nancy Freudenthal ruled in favor of a petroleum industry group, the Western Energy Alliance, in its lawsuit against the federal government, including Interior Secretary Ken Salazar.” (“Federal Judge Throws Out Obama Drilling Rules,” Associated Press, 8/12/2011)

PRIOR OBAMA PERMITTING DELAY DECLARED “INCREASINGLY INEXCUSABLE”: “‘The permitting backlog becomes increasingly inexcusable,’ the judge said. ‘Delays of four months and more in the permitting process are unreasonable, unacceptable and unjustified by the evidence.'” (Editorial Board, “U.S. Interior Department Needs to Move on Drilling Permits,” New Orleans Times-Picayune, 3/4/2011)