Affordable, reliable energy is critical for our economy and our environment. But the federal government leases less than 3 percent of its lands for energy development. This is indefensible. The federal government must free up more energy for Americans, instead of prohibiting access to these taxpayer-owned energy resources.
Under the Obama administration, oil production fell by 6 percent on federal lands from 2009 through 2013, while oil production on private and state lands grew by an impressive 61 percent. The same is true of natural gas. Natural gas production fell by 28 percent on federal lands from 2009 through 2013 while natural gas produced grew by 33 percent on non-federal lands. These trends on federal land must end.
Now is the time for Obama administration to stop restricting access to our energy resources and start leasing much more offshore—including the Atlantic, the Pacific, and off the coast of Alaska. The Obama administration’s war on affordable energy must stop, and Americans need to be able to go to work producing our own energy right here at home.
Domestic energy production is critical from our national security with countries like Russia using energy as a weapon. The Obama administration is weakening American with its policies, but opening federal lands would show that the Obama administration is serious about energy, serious about economic growth and job creation, and serious about national security.