US senator seeks continued agency support for OCS leasing bans
Washington (Platts)--13Dec2004
US Sen Bill Nelson (Democrat-Florida) Friday asked Interior Secretary Gail Norton to continue to support existing moratoria on oil and natural gas leasing off Florida's coasts and those of other states as the agency prepares its 2007-2012 Outer Continental Shelf leasing plan. His plea followed a letter last week from Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Pete Domenici (Republican-New Mexico) asking Norton to at least consider the possibility of allowing gas leasing in moratoria areas. "We can't allow oil and gas drilling to come any closer," Nelson said. "If an exception is made for natural gas, then oil rigs will follow." "I believe that the moratoria can continue while addressing our country's energy needs," he said. Among the options for achieving that goal, he said, are building an Alaska natural gas pipeline, increasing imports of liquefied natural gas and producing gas from federal lands more efficiently. Interior is expected to issue a draft of the plan in January.
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