Dems’ War on Energy Expands to Natural Gas

June 26, 2012

Democrats Have Taken Millions in Donations from Groups that Want to Kill Natural Gas Jobs

A new report indicates that fracking, a drilling technique used to access natural gas and oil, supports millions of American jobs.
Instead of rallying around this economic opportunity, Democrats are taking millions in contributions from groups that have pledged to put natural gas job creators out of business.
Sadly this is just the latest front in Democrats’ war on energy that has already targeted coal and oil production.

A new report indicates that fracking, a drilling technique used to access natural gas and oil, supports millions of American jobs:

FRACKING “A CRITICAL TOOL” IN EXTRACTING OIL AND NATURAL GAS FROM OTHERWISE “UNCONVENTIONAL” SOURCES: “Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is a technology that’s become a critical tool in extracting oil and natural gas from unconventional sources — typically impermeable rock formations such as shale.” (John Moore, “Fracking Technology Brings Promise and Worries,” CNBC, 6/20/2012)

EXPECTED TO ACCOUNT FOR 67% OF NATURAL GAS PRODUCTION BY 2015: “Unconventional gas is expected to lead future growth in US natural gas productive capacity. By 2015, the share of US natural gas produced from unconventional sources will increase to 67% and, by 2035, will reach 79%.”(“The Economic and Employment Contributions of Unconventional Gas Development in State Economies,” IHS, June 2012)

NATURAL GAS BOOM SUPPORTS 1 MILLION JOBS, WILL ADD NEARLY 1.5 MILLION MORE BY 2035: “In 2010, unconventional gas activity supported 1 million jobs; this will grow to nearly 1.5 million jobs in 2015 and to over 2.4 million in 2035.” (“The Economic and Employment Contributions of Unconventional Gas Development in State Economies,” IHS, June 2012)

NEARLY $3.2 TRILLION TO BE INVESTED IN UNCONVENTIONAL GAS DEVELOPMENT: “Nearly $3.2 trillion in investments in the development of unconventional gas are expected to fuel the increase in production between 2010 and 2035.” (“The Economic and Employment Contributions of Unconventional Gas Development in State Economies,” IHS, June 2012)

Instead of rallying around this economic opportunity, Democrats are taking millions in contributions from groups that have pledged to put natural gas job creators out of business:

“TOP OBAMA ENERGY AIDE: TOUGHER ‘FRACKING’ RULES BY YEAR’S END”: (Ben Geman, “Top Obama Energy Aide: Tougher ‘Fracking’ Rules by Year’s End,” The Hill, 6/25/2012)

NEW REGULATIONS ON FRACKING “ON TRACK” TO GO INTO EFFECT SOON: “A senior White House official said Monday that regulations to toughen oversight of oil-and-gas ‘fracking’ on federal lands are on track despite a two-month extension of the public comment period announced last week. … An Interior department spokesman offered the same forecast Friday. But the comments from a senior White House official could help ease jitters among environmentalists, who fear the extension of the comment period, until mid-September, on the draft rules could set back the measure.” (Ben Geman, “Top Obama Energy Aide: Tougher ‘Fracking’ Rules by Year’s End,” The Hill, 6/25/2012)

SIERRA CLUB WAGING “BEYOND NATURAL GAS” CAMPAIGN: (“Beyond Natural Gas,” Sierra Club, Accessed 6/21/2012)

THE GOAL? “PREVENTING NEW GAS PLANTS FROM BEING BUILT WHEREVER WE CAN”: “We’re going to be preventing new gas plants from being built wherever we can.” (Editorial, “Sierra Clubs Natural Gas,” The Wall Street Journal, 5/30/2012)

SIERRA CLUB CALLS NATURAL GAS “DIRTY, DANGEROUS, AND RUN AMOK”: (“Beyond Natural Gas,” Sierra Club, Accessed 6/21/2012)

SIERRA CLUB GAVE OVER $360,000 TO DEMOCRAT CANDIDATES IN 2010 CYCLE: (“Sierra Club Summary,” OpenSecrets.org, Accessed 6/21/2012)

AND MORE THAN $370,000 TO DEMOCRATS IN 2008 CYCLE: (“Sierra Club Summary,” OpenSecrets.org, Accessed 6/21/2012)

Sadly this is just the latest front in Democrats’ war on energy that has already targeted coal and oil production:

COAL MINERS RECENTLY PROTESTED DEMOCRATS’ “WAR ON COAL”:(Zeke Miller, “Coal Miners Protest Biden in Ohio,” Buzzfeed, 5/17/2012)

UNITED MINE WORKERS UNION: “LISA JACKSON SHOT US IN WASHINGTON”: ” ‘The Navy SEALs shot Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan and Lisa Jackson shot us in Washington,’ Cecil Roberts, president of the powerful union, said during an interview Tuesday on the West Virginia radio show MetroNews Talkline.

“Roberts blasted Jackson, the EPA administrator, over the proposed regulations, which would limit greenhouse gas emissions from new power plants. Opponents of the regulations, including Roberts, say the new rules would be the death knell of the coal industry.” (Andrew Restuccia, “Mine Union Boss: Coal Industry Could Suffer Same Fate as Bin Laden,” The Hill, 4/4/2012)

“POTENTIAL ECONOMIC IMPACT” ON JOB CREATORS “ISN’T A FACTOR” IN OBAMA ADMIN’S NEW REGULATIONS: “Ashe, who visited Oklahoma at Inhofe’s request, said that while the potential economic impact on business and industry may be significant, it isn’t a factor in determining whether a species is threatened or endangered.” (Sean Murphy, “Bird Causes Economic Development Woes in Okla.,” The Houston Chronicle, 9/8/2011)

OBAMA’S EPA HAS ADMITTED THEY DON’T CONSIDER JOBS DESTROYED BY THEIR RULE-MAKINGS: “The Obama administration has repeatedly said job creation is a top priority, but apparently the memo seems to have missed the bureaucrats at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This became evident when EPA Assistant Administrator Mathy Stanislaus testified Thursday before an Environment and Energy subcommittee hearing that his agency does not take jobs into account when it issues new regulations. ‘We have not directly taken a look at jobs in the proposal,’ Stanislaus said, referring to a regulation that would govern industries that recycle coal ash and other fossil fuel byproducts.” (John Rossomondo, “EPA Official Says Jobs Don’t Matter,” The Daily Caller, 4/16/2011)