Jon L. Christensen: “I rise in support of Title VIII of H.R. 6, the Insular Areas Energy Security Act and I want to thank the Chairman of the…”

“I rise in support of Title VIII of H.R. 6, the Insular Areas Energy Security Act and I want to thank the Chairman of the Resources Committee, Mr. Pombo and especially the Ranking Member, Mr. Rahall. While I am pleased that H.R. 6 includes the Insular Areas Security Act, I am disappointed that a substitute amendment by Mr. Rahall was not made in order because I believe it was a better solution to the concerns over energy production we are having in our country. The Rahall amendment would have ensured that more domestic energy is introduced into the domestic market, relieve transmission constraints for our western States, encourage renewable energy on federal lands, assure fairness in oil royalties, and protect our environment and our nation's monuments and parks. The Insular Areas Energy Act will update a nearly twenty-year-old assessment of energy importation, consumption, and alterative indigenous sources that can be used by insular areas. A new part of this reassessment will be a recommendation and plan to protect energy transmission and distribution lines from the effects of hurricanes and typhoons.”