Richard Pombo: “Mr. Speaker, the Energy Policy Act of 2004 protects and strengthens America's economy, our standard of living and our…”

“Mr. Speaker, the Energy Policy Act of 2004 protects and strengthens America's economy, our standard of living and our national security by reducing dependence on imported oil and increasing domestic energy production. America is in danger. All credible projections indicate a growing gap between the amount of energy America uses and the amount that we produce, even after factoring in healthy increases in efficiency and conservation. The Energy Security Act of 2003 will increase, diversify and facilitate delivery of energy supplies from Federal lands to regions of our Nation with energy shortages. This bill, among other things, encourages energy production from American Indian lands and increases Indian self-determination; provides better access to oil and gas reserves on federally controlled lands and facilitates better pipeline and transmission infrastructure through Federal lands; encourages the use of waste material produced from the Healthy Forests Initiative as a source of energy, turning a fire hazard into energy; maximizes the value of the hydroelectric power production of existing Bureau of Reclamation facilities; provides incentives for the development of geothermal energy on public lands; and encourages the maximum recovery of coal on our Federal lands.”