Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Portman: We Need To Pursue Our Energy Sources At Home

Release:
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-Ohio), a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, responded to President Obama’s energy security plan:
“The President again delivered a speech that sounded and looked great, but to date, the actions of his administration have not matched his rhetoric.  We have been told before that this administration supports lifting oil production, but instead it has focused on canceling oil and gas leases all across the country, raising permit fees and stifling deep-water drilling the Gulf of Mexico.

“With gasoline rapidly headed towards $4.00 a gallon and uncertainty growing in the Middle East, Americans want to know that this administration has all hands on deck when it comes to finding solutions that will truly reduce our nation’s dependence on foreign oil.  I fully support ideas like converting more heavy vehicles to run on natural gas because this will capitalize on Ohio’s vast reserves of shale gas and reduce oil imports.  But it won’t work if the President continues to turn a blind eye to the efforts of the Environmental Protection Agency to create red tape and impose new regulations that will raise energy costs on American businesses across the board,” said Portman, who has pressed the Obama Administration to reverse course on its efforts to regulate greenhouse gasses under the Clean Air Act.

“As summer and the higher gas prices that come with it fast approach, the President must understand that we need to pursue our energy sources at home, support the advancement of alternative energy technologies, and promote energy efficiency and conservation.  Doing so will increase our energy security, strengthen our national security, and spur much needed job creation in Ohio,” added Portman, who visited V&M star last month to talk about their $650 million expansion project, which underscores the importance of Ohio’s natural resources and how they can help us meet the nation’s rising demand for domestic energy production.