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| Wilson Appointed to Task Force on Affordable Natural Gas |
July 17, 2003 |
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| Panel Looks for Solutions To Avoid Energy Crisis
Washington, DC-Congresswoman Heather Wilson was appointed by Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert to a task force charged with warding off a looming natural gas crisis, and the effects such a crisis would have on American families, farms, and businesses.
With a potential natural gas crisis looming this fall and winter because of historically high prices and low inventories, the task force is designed to help ward off its devastating impact on American families, farms and businesses.
"Whether its building cars or software, America`s economy runs on energy, and every winter we find out how important natural gas is to heat our homes and generate electricity. Today, I`m naming this Task Force for Affordable Natural Gas because I`m particularly concerned for American families who will bear the burden of higher heating bills should a natural gas crisis emerge,"said Speaker Hastert. "Make no mistake, higher energy costs are a hidden tax that put a drain on families, farms, businesses and our nation`s overall economy. Congresswoman Wilson`s knowledge, tenacity, and ability to get to the root of a problem will serve the task force well."
With 60-million homes, businesses and industries dependent upon natural gas, the task force is charged to report back within 80 days, by September 30th, on three main areas of inquiry:
1. The causes of today`s natural gas shortage;
2. The impact of natural gas prices on the American economy; and,
3. Short and long-term ideas to encourage a stable supply of natural gas to ease prices.
"Over one-half of U.S. homes use natural gas as their main heating fuel," says Wilson "We need sources of supply that can meet demand."
This task force will explore the extensive benefits of natural gas as an alternative fuel supply, and tackle the problems facing the natural gas industry.
At the same time we have been increasing our use of natural gas, because of its clean burning nature, we have been shutting down domestic access to reserves on federal lands. More than 60 percent of future natural gas supplies are located on Federal lands in the United States. The U.S. has enough supply of natural gas in its non-park federal lands and offshore to supply energy to 100 million homes for 157 years. Despite vast supplies, Federal policy toward natural gas development on public lands has become increasingly restrictive. Americans are denied access to this abundant supply and forced to pay high home heating costs because of government regulation and bureaucratic red tape that leaves these reserves untapped.
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