Mark Takano: “My amendment would require the Secretary to consider the current number of inactive but approved Federal oil and gas…”

“My amendment would require the Secretary to consider the current number of inactive but approved Federal oil and gas leases and permits to drill in the development of any proposed plan. My amendment is vital to fully capturing the scope of unused oil and gas leases and permits to drill on Federal lands that companies are choosing not to utilize. There are currently over 9,000 approved permits to drill on Federal land, yet my Republican colleagues want to open up even more Federal lands and approve additional permits to drill. The underlying bill is merely a politically motivated effort to undermine this administration's ability to tap into the Strategic Petroleum Reserve while opening up more Federal lands to exploitation by private-sector interests. Before the Secretary can draft any plan that proposes expanded drilling on Federal lands, I believe it is important that it consider all information relevant to such a plan, and that includes how many leases and permits are already approved but left inactive. Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.”