American Oil and Gas Reporter - October 2019 - 32

for determining state equivalency (AOGR,
October 2018, pr. 26).
The OOOOa Reconsideration also provides a program for demonstrating alternative methods of leak detection and
repair, although Fuller says EPA's approach
remains problematic. "We still are urging
EPA to interpret the Clean Air Act in a
way that allows for greater flexibility,"
he says, adding: "Without some changes,
the (OOOOa Reconsideration) will not
provide meaningful revisions."
Political Reactions
Nevertheless, Thomas Pyle, president
of the American Energy Alliance, labels
the EPA's Aug. 29 proposal "a smart
move," saying, "On top of incredible economic growth led by the domestic energy
industry, the United States leads the world
in clean air. The connection between a
vibrant economy and a healthy environment are all too evident. Unfortunately,
because of the doom-and-gloom rhetoric
from the green left, most Americans don't
understand or realize that the environment
is continually getting better."

U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe, R-Ok., says
the Obama-era methane rule "had no environmental benefit and created needless
costs," while Senate Environment and
Public Works Chairman John Barrasso,
R-Wy., released a statement saying,
"Wyoming already regulates methane emissions from oil and gas production. There
is no need for Washington to pile on."
And North Dakota Governor Doug
Burgum says, "As the nation's number
two oil producing state, we will continue
to control methane emissions and work
diligently with industry to find solutions
to methane challenges, regardless of what
happens with these duplicative and costly
federal regulations."
From the other side of the aisle, however, Senate Minority Leader Chuck
Schumer, D-N.Y., promises Democrats
will attempt to void the amendments
using the Congressional Review Act,
which allows lawmakers to pass a resolution overturning new federal rules within
60 days, once a final rule is published.
Representative Paul Tonko, D-N.Y., who
chairs the Energy and Commerce Subcom-

mittee on Environment and Climate, reportedly posted on Twitter a plea to President
Trump to "hear the warnings of America's
climate scientists . . . don't do this."
Sierra Club Executive Director Michael
Brune labels EPA's proposal "a blatant
attempt to give oil and gas companies
yet another free pass to release as much
harmful air pollution as they want. The
Sierra Club will continue to fight back
against Wheeler's efforts to prioritize corporate polluter profits over our climate
and our families' health."
Published reports quote Clean Air Task
Force attorney Darin Schroeder suggesting,
"EPA's logic here is an exercise in absurdity," and say Earthjustice has vowed
to sue to keep the Obama rule in place.
Some major oil companies also are
critical of the proposed rule change. BP
America Chairman Susan Dio is quoted
saying, "We have to reduce methane
emissions for natural gas to realize its
full potential in our energy mix."
Other oil companies mentioned in
published reports as questioning the proposal include Shell and ExxonMobil. ❒

Parties Take Opposing Energy Strategy
WASHINGTON-Democrats in the
U.S. House of Representatives pushed
through legislation in September to prohibit
oil and gas development in the Eastern
Gulf of Mexico, along the East and West
coasts, and in the Arctic National Wildlife
Refuge. Republicans countered with a
bill they labeled "a truly all-of-the-above
approach to American energy development, encouraging the efficient onshore
and offshore production of both conventional and renewable energy resources."
On Sept. 11, the House of Representatives passed HR 1941, the Coastal and
Marine Economies Protection Act, and HR
205, the Protecting and Securing Florida's
Coastline Act, by 238-189 and 248-180
votes, respectively. The next day, the House
passed HR 1146, the Arctic Cultural and
Coastal Plain Protection Act, 225-193.
HR 1941 prohibits oil and gas leasing
in the Pacific and Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf planning areas, while HR
205 permanently extends the moratorium
on leasing in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico,
which was established by the Gulf of
Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 and
is scheduled to expire in 2022.
HR 1146 once again locks up ANWR
32 THE AMERICAN OIL & GAS REPORTER

by repealing the provision in the Tax
Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 that directs
the Department of Interior to conduct at
least two oil and gas lease sales on the
ANWR coastal plain within 10 years.
All three bills, according to texts posted
on congress.gov, also direct DOI to begin
collecting inspection fees from operators
"at an aggregate level equal to the amount
necessary to offset the annual expenses of
inspections of OCS facilities." In addition,
HR 1941 places a moratorium on seismic
activities related to oil, gas and methane
hydrate exploration and development in
the North-, Mid- and South-Atlantic, and
Straits of Florida planning areas.
"There are some places too wild, too
important, too unique to be spoiled by
oil and gas development. The ANWR's
coastal plain is one of those," states HR
1146 sponsor, Representative Jared Huffman, D-Ca.
Congressman Joe Cunningham, DS.C., who sponsored HR 1941 says, "You
don't wait for the hurricane to hit before
boarding up your windows. And you
don't wait for an oil spill to realize
offshore drilling isn't worth jeopardizing
a booming tourist economy."

And Representative Francis Rooney,
R-Fl., who sponsored HR 205, points
out that 69% of Floridians voted for a
state constitutional amendment in 2018
banning drilling off the state's coasts.
The Independent Petroleum Association
of America says the three bills "are not
expected to receive any consideration"
in the Senate, and published reports say
President Trump promised to veto them,
should they reach his desk.
All three were opposed by a coalition
of 22 national business and labor groups
that included, in addition to all major national oil and gas associations, the U.S.
Chamber of Commerce, National Association of Manufacturers, Laborers' International Union of North America and
the Consumer Energy Alliance.
Republicans Counter
Conversely, HR 4294, the American
Energy First Act, which was introduced
Sept. 11 by House Republican Whip
Steve Scalise, R-La., Republican Conference Chairwoman Liz Cheney, R-Wy.,
Natural Resources Committee Ranking
Member Rob Bishop, R-Ut., and Representatives Paul Gosar, R-Az., Jeff Duncan,

http://www.congress.gov

American Oil and Gas Reporter - October 2019

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