[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 38 (Wednesday, March 21, 2001)]
[House]
[Pages H1039-H1040]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        TIME TO MOVE TOWARDS ENERGY INDEPENDENCE IN OUR COUNTRY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Green) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I would like to join the gentleman 
from Arizona (Mr. Hayworth) because, last year, the city of Houston 
lost two firefighters. It is appropriate that we remember the Tarver 
family and their sacrifice, because having experienced two fire 
fighters' loss of life last year and again having fire fighters up here 
this week with us, we join in that.
  I rise today, though, to talk about the energy crisis affecting our 
country and steps that need to be taken to increase our exploration, 
production, and delivery of energy. I want to try and cool some of the 
rhetoric that I believe is slowing down the process of trying to find a 
comprehensive energy solution.
  First, at this moment, insufficient supplies of natural gas are 
threatening to produce widespread shortages, not only in California and 
the West, but throughout our country this summer.
  This shortage can be traced to the oversupply of natural gas 2 years 
ago. Everyone likes to point the finger at energy producers when prices 
are high; but no one seems to care when, a year or two ago, we could 
not even give natural gas away. Those extremely low prices 2 years ago 
stopped exploration activities and forced many natural gas producers to 
cap marginally-producing wells.
  The laws of supply and demand work, and it did not stay out of 
balance for too long. We thought that cheap natural gas would last 
forever in the building spree; and with our encouragement, because it 
is safer and cleaner, new natural gas generators highlighted this 
belief that natural gas would be cheap.
  So today around our country, the demand for natural gas has far 
outstripped the supply, and we need to respond to this shortfall.
  Staying in front of our energy needs is the key to avoiding high 
cost. Exploration and production of domestic energy sources are the 
keys to staying in front along with more efficient use of our domestic 
energy.
  While we are behind on natural gas production, I need to remind 
everyone we will soon also be behind on oil production as well. Last 
summer's high gasoline prices are only a taste of what is to come. 
Already we have heard that OPEC plans to cut production in an attempt 
to maintain a stable world oil price. Demand in this country easily 
outstrips the supply, and we have no cushion to fall back on during 
times of a tight supply.
  It is for these reasons that we must take steps to stay ahead of our 
oil curve and tap more domestic sources of production. Specifically, I 
have agreed to cosponsor H.R. 39, the Arctic Coastal Plain Domestic 
Energy Security Act of 2001. The coastal plain of the Arctic Natural 
Wildlife Refuge, known as ANWR, is said to contain between 5.7 and 16 
billion barrels of recoverable oil. If the upper 16 billion barrels of 
recoverable reserve can be extracted, it represents 20 years of oil 
which we will not have to import from other parts of the world. I want 
to emphasize that these reserve numbers are also considered very 
conservative.
  As a Member of Congress from Houston, Texas, I know firsthand that 
the drilling technologies have continued to improve. In fact, we have 
been and continue drilling and production in the Gulf of Mexico. 
Technology has allowed us to go deeper and also do it more efficiently 
and safely.
  As equipment and techniques advance, the percentage of recoverable 
oil will also increase. Industry now has the technology to reduce the 
amount of land impacted by new oil development.
  North Slope drillers routinely drill directional wells that reach out 
4 miles from the surface of the rig. That means that one production pad 
on the surface can produce from 64 square miles of subsurface oil 
fields. So you do not have the imprint of that facility.
  The decision to support drilling in ANWR was not made just on the 
need to utilize energy resources alone. I have been to ANWR. I have 
seen the environment and have witnessed firsthand the diversity of life 
that lives there, even during August, Mr. Speaker, and met with the 
Alaskans that live the closest to the ANWR refuge.
  I would not support this legislation if I did not feel that we could 
confidently with our ability safely extract oil in an environmentally 
sound manner.
  Careful development of ANWR under strict regulatory guidelines can 
provide our Nation with a vital resource while minimizing the 
environmental impact on the coastal plain and its wildlife.
  Our experiences on Alaska's North Slope provide strong evidence that 
oil and gas development in nearby ANWR would pose little threat to the 
ecology of the coastal plain. The record is clear. Air quality is good. 
The drilling wastes have been well managed, and wildlife and their 
habitat have been minimally impacted.
  The debate on this issue has been heated and will get even more 
heated. But many of the arguments being made in opposition to opening 
ANWR were

[[Page H1040]]

raised at the time Prudhoe Bay and the North Slope development was 
being considered. Today we are much better than we were those many 
years ago. Most experts have acknowledged that Prudhoe Bay has been, 
and continues to be, a success story.
  I keep going back to the same point, we can extract this vital 
resource while at the same time safeguarding the environment and other 
resources in that region. After careful consideration, the answer 
should be yes. Extracting oil from ANWR will have positive benefits for 
American consumers.
  I do not dismiss the concerns in the environmental community, but 
many of the arguments again were made at the same time when we were 
doing it for North Slope. The environment has been safeguarded on North 
Slope. I believe with advances in drilling technology, we will be safer 
with ANWR.
  Mr. Speaker, I hope my colleagues will join me in cosponsoring H.R. 
39. It is time to move towards energy independence in our country.

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