Cathy Landry | 202-682-8122 | landryc@api.org
WASHINGTON, February 25, 2009 – American Petroleum Institute President Jack Gerard today issued the following statement on Virginia Governor Tim Kaine’s letter asking Interior Secretary Ken Salazar to postpone a proposed lease sale scheduled for 2011 offshore Virginia:
“A pattern seems to be emerging when it comes to developing America’s offshore resources – delay. We saw it earlier this month when Secretary Salazar extended by six months the comment period on the upcoming five-year plan for oil and natural gas development, and we’re seeing it now from Governor Kaine, who is asking for a postponement of an offshore Virginia lease sale, scheduled two years ago after extensive public comment and environmental review.
We cannot afford to delay. Our nation must deal now with its critical energy challenges. Every day we delay is another day that we are depriving Americans of the jobs that can be generated through development. It is another day that federal, state and local governments go without the enormous revenues oil and natural gas exploration generates. And it is another day that we sit around watching our energy security erode.
Americans support expanded development of our domestic resources. Even as oil and gasoline prices have plummeted in recent months, 61 percent say they want to see development of our resources in off-limits federal waters. A full 70 percent of Virginians in a July poll supported increased offshore development. It is time to start listening to the wisdom of the American people and stop putting off until tomorrow what we should be doing today.”