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July 13, 2010

Bennett Statement on Release of DOI IG Report

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Bob Bennett (R-Utah) made the following statement today after reviewing an investigative report issued by the Department of the Interior regarding the cancellation of 77 oil and gas lease sales in Utah in December 2008:

“This report from the department’s own Inspector General has underscored yet again what we have said from the beginning – that the cancellation of the leases was wholly unjustified. This ill-advised action cost the state jobs and revenue and has established a level of uncertainty in operating on federal lands that continues to stunt economic recovery in the West. I think the secretary owes the Congress an explanation as to how, after receiving this report in December 2009, they not only chose to not share it with the public, but then, just days later, continued to use the circumstances of the December 2008 lease sale as the catalyst to announce that they would be overhauling the entire oil and gas leasing process. Given the disappearing premise for the new oil and gas leasing policy, I call on the secretary to return to the drawing board to craft a more rational and well-grounded approach that will help restore the jobs and revenues lost as a result of the department’s actions.”

 

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http://bennett.senate.gov