NAM commends MMS for launching OCS energy access process.
Press Release Summary:
NAM commended Minerals Management Service of U.S. DOI for beginning regulatory process that will lead to development of wind, oil, and gas energy sources on Outer Continental Shelf. Actions unveiled by MMS announced availability of final environmental impact statement for Cape Wind Energy project off coast of MA; notice of intent to prepare EIS for geological and geophysical studies off Atlantic coast; and notice of availability of Draft Proposed 2010-2015 OCS Oil and Gas Leasing Program.
Original Press Release:
NAM Commends Minerals Management Service for Launching OCS Energy Access Process
NAM Says Offshore Wind, Oil and Gas Are Crucial To Nation's Energy Mix
WASHINGTON, D.C., January 16, 2009 - The National Association of Manufacturers today commended the Minerals Management Service (MMS) of the U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) for beginning the complex regulatory process that will lead to development of badly-needed energy resources - wind, oil and gas - on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).
OCS development received the green light last year when Congressional language forbidding development expired and President Bush lifted the executive ban on development that had been in effect many years. The actions unveiled by the MMS today announced the availability of a final environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Cape Wind Energy project off the coast of Massachusetts; a notice of intent to prepare an EIS for geological and geophysical studies, such as seismic surveys, off the Atlantic coast; and the notice of availability of the Draft Proposed 2010-2015 Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program and notice of intent to prepare an EIS for that program.
"This action by the MMS today reflects a growing consensus that we must move forward on alternative energy sources, such as wind power, and at the same time develop domestic resources of traditional fuels like oil and gas to reduce our dependence on foreign countries," said Keith McCoy, NAM Vice President for Energy and Resources Policy. "This kind of development requires a long lead time both in terms of studies of potential resources and development of environmental studies. The action by the MMS today gives the incoming Obama Administration a head-start to fulfill this part of our national quest for energy self sufficiency."
The Cape Wind Energy project is a proposed 130-turbine wind farm that could make a major contribution to energy needs in New England. It is estimated that the OCS contains about 86 billion barrels of oil and 420 trillion cubic feet of natural gas in undiscovered fields.
The National Association of Manufacturers is the nation's largest industrial trade association, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the NAM has 11 additional offices across the country. Visit the NAM's award-winning web site at www.nam.org for more information about manufacturing and the economy.
