Garret Graves on Energy & Oil

Keystone XL and other policies for US jobs & energy

In Congress I will fight to:
• Produce more American energy and energy-jobs
• Improve energy efficiency
• Stop our dependence upon foreign oil

From blocking the Keystone XL pipeline to upholding a moratorium on offshore exploration, misguided policy decisions have handcuffed our ability to create thousands of jobs here at home and have instead created job growth in other countries--like Venezuela and Iran--that do not share American interests or values. At the same time, we have seen gasoline prices spike from less than $2.00/gallon when Obama took office to nearly $3.50 today. This type of government overregulation is bad for consumers, bad for Louisiana and bad for the United States.

No federal subsidies for wind & solar

GRAVES: Strongly Disagree

Drill for oil & gas in offshore OCS & Eastern Gulf of Mexico.

Congressional Summary: House amendment to H.R. 5538, the Interior & Environment Agencies Appropriations bill for FY 2017. This amendment would prohibit funds to be used to research, investigate, or study offshore drilling in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico Planning Area of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).

Heritage Foundation recommends voting NO: (7/13/2016): The Gulf of Mexico continues to be a very important asset for our energy future and it continues to produce significant amounts of oil and natural gas. Yet the Eastern Gulf of Mexico has not participated to this point despite its significant potential. A 2014 Heritage Foundation report said: "Excessive regulations and bureaucratic inefficiencies have stymied oil production and prevented the full effects of the energy boom." This amendment would block any potential progress that could take place by preventing the necessary work that would need to be prepared in the East Gulf for potential lease sales and eventual production.

Sierra Club recommends voting YES: (1/12/1974): The Sierra Club believes that no offshore petroleum exploration should occur unless and until the following conditions are met:

• Strengthen the Coastal Zone Management System.
• Lease sales should be prohibited in areas that possess:
  • High seismic activity
  • Fragile or unstable geological structures
  • Proximity to particularly diverse or productive marine ecosystems, or marine sanctuaries
  • Where visual impact of offshore structures would significantly reduce aesthetic values
  • Where the risks are unusually high.
• Petroleum exploration and production must be subject to automatic, heavy fines for all oil spills regardless of cause.
• The Sierra Club opposes leasing of lands beyond 200 meters depth until international agreements [define] ownership of sea floor resources.

Legislative outcome: Failed House 185 to 243 (no Senate vote).