Today, Congressman Jerry Carl (R-Mobile) announced the introduction of the Gulf Conservation and Recreation Funding Act, which has seven original cosponsors, including Republican Whip Steve Scalise (LA-01). This bill would require the Department of Interior to pay GOMESA states the revenues they are missing out on due to leases cancelled by President Biden’s January 26th Executive Order.
On January 26, 2021, President Biden signed Executive Order 14008 establishing an indefinite moratorium on new oil and gas leases in federal waters, “pending completion of a comprehensive review and reconsideration of Federal oil and gas permitting and leasing practices.” As long as President Biden’s moratorium remains in place, the Department of Interior would have to pay Gulf states each fiscal year any difference between what they collected in normal GOMESA revenues that fiscal year and the average revenues collected between fiscal years 2018, 2019, and 2020.
GOMESA funds supported upwards of $26 million in recreation and conservation projects last year in south Alabama, including boat ramps, shoreline restorations, bike trails, and park enhancements. Each year, local county commissioners and municipal governments plan projects based on forecasted GOMESA funds. However, if lease sales continue to be cancelled indefinitely, our coastal communities and the four Gulf producing states will be denied a vital source of funding for years to come.
Congressman Carl also remains committed to raising Alabama’s share of qualified revenues and eliminating the cap on GOMESA revenue, which is currently limited to $500 million a year collectively.
“President Biden’s moratorium on new oil and gas leases in federal waters is particularly devastating to south Alabama and the Gulf Coast region. These actions have already resulted in the cancellation of a scheduled lease sale under the GOMESA program, which provides critical revenue to our state and our region. President Biden has declared war on the oil and gas industry, which is destroying jobs and harming Alabama’s economy. This is wrong, and I’m fighting to hold the Biden Administration accountable,” said Rep. Carl.
“Canceling the offshore oil and gas lease sale is harmful not only to Louisiana, but to the United States as a whole. As a country, we are still dependent on fossil fuels. If we aren’t producing American oil and natural gas, we are going to have to rely on foreign countries for our energy needs, which will only weaken our economy and the environment. To add insult to injury, canceling these lease sales has already deprived Louisiana and other Gulf states millions of dollars in revenue sharing for conservation projects and other critical priorities. In Louisiana, we rely on these funds, paid by private companies, for critical coastal restoration and hurricane protection efforts. I call on President Biden to immediately reinstate the offshore lease sales so that we can protect American jobs, ensure affordable energy for families and small businesses and protect critical funding for our states and local communities,” said Republican Whip Steve Scalise.
“We are happy to support our State as well as the other Gulf states, in ensuring that we receive lost GOMESA revenue due to the cancelled leases from the administration’s Executive Order,” said Rep. Kelly.
“The new administration cares about the environment so much that he kiboshed a primary source of funding for critical environmental restoration in Louisiana and along the Gulf Coast. We’re giving math a shot with this bill because logic clearly doesn’t resonate with them,” said Rep. Graves.
“President Biden has reduced access to our natural resources and placed a burden on Gulf states. His administration must accept responsibility for the impact his misguided executive orders have on states, so I’m proud to cosponsor this legislation to ensure Gulf states are not harmed by this administration’s heavy-handed approach,” said Rep. Guest.
“The oil and gas industry is vital to Texas’ economy. President Biden’s moratorium jeopardizes jobs and the livelihoods of millions of Texans, in the middle of a pandemic. It’s reckless policy that prioritizes politics over people and it needs to end,” said Rep. Nehls.
“In addition to aiding America’s energy independence, the revenues generated from the oil and gas leases throughout the Gulf of Mexico play an extremely important role in protecting our Mississippi coastline. The President’s Executive Order has hindered GOMESA revenues coming into our Gulf Coast states going forward. This is counterproductive to coastal conservation and restoration projects, hurricane protection programs, and activities to implement marine, coastal, or conservation management plans which align with President Biden’s pro-environmental agenda,” said Rep. Palazzo.
“President Biden’s offshore drilling moratorium threatens to cut off a significant source of livelihood for the people of the 14th Congressional District of Texas. It will halt funding for many essential coastal resiliency and ecological restoration projects along the Texas Gulf Coast. This executive order is bad policy and bad science and should be reversed, but for as long as it stands, the federal government should reimburse the gulf states and our local communities for the critical resiliency and coastal restoration funding that they are being denied,” said Rep. Weber.
“The GOMESA funding is very important to Coastal Alabama. These funds have been used to provide new recreational access to our waterways, improve water quality through sewer system improvements and have protected sensitive habitats through land acquisitions,” said Chris Blankenship, Commissioner of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
“We really appreciate the Congressman’s leadership on this important issue. Efforts to restrict responsible development hurt small businesses and families throughout the economy – not just direct energy workers. These decisions also cause financial harm to state budgets and conservation programs. As DOI considers how to move forward, it should do so in a manner that helps workers, families, states and the environment. Compensating states for any losses as a result of this pause is a fair and responsible request. Environmentally sound offshore energy development and regular lease sales have been and must continue to be essential to meeting our economic and environmental needs,” said Michael Zehr, Federal Affairs Advisor, Consumer Energy Alliance.
Original cosponsors include: Republican Whip Steve Scalise (LA-01); Reps. Graves (LA-06), Guest (MS-03), Kelly (MS-01), Nehls (TX-22), Palazzo (MS-04), and Weber (TX-14).
Press Release
3/24/2021
Magnolia Tribune
