WASHINGTON – House Republicans once again took action to address high oil prices by passing H.R. 5429, the American-Made Energy and Good Jobs Act that will authorize oil and gas exploration in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR).  U.S. Representative Todd Tiahrt (R-Goddard) lauded the measure as an opportunity to reduce our country’s dependence on foreign sources of oil. 

“The House has recognized multiple times that sensible and environmentally safe development of a small region of ANWR, about the size of Wichita’s Mid-Continent Airport, will reduce our reliance on foreign oil,” said Tiahrt. “If President Clinton had approved our first attempt years ago, we most likely would not have gas prices exceeding $3 per gallon today.”

Under the legislation, exploration in ANWR will be limited to a small number of acres and conducted under the most stringent environmental protection requirements ever applied to a federal energy project.  The measure also includes an export ban requiring all oil and natural gas produced in ANWR’s northern Coastal Plain to stay in America; stringent environmental protections including requirements that the Department of the Interior establish regulations to ensure that drilling will have no significant adverse effect on fish and wildlife and their habitat; and a limit on the total surface area covered by drilling and production facilities to 2,000 acres.

“While we all agree conservation and alternative energy development are important, the fact is we will be relying on crude oil for many years to come to meet energy needs. It is critical that we harness the domestic resources we have. This is both an economic competitiveness issue and a matter of national security,” Tiahrt said.