Political Quotes

“Under current law, oil and natural gas exploration and production activities do not have to do the extensive stormwater permitting that is required for large residential or commercial developments. The provision in question in the energy bill clarifies what is current law. Oil and gas drill site activity is not the same as residential and commercial building construction and should not have to do the same permits. It is unnecessary, and the loss to our domestic oil and natural gas supplies would be severe. This motion to instruct is trying to put a square peg in a round hole. All the provision in the energy bill does is clarify that the definition of oil and natural gas exploration and production includes the preparation work for that exploration and production. The provision in the energy bill does not roll back the Clean Water Act in any way. If a producer discharges reportable quantities of any hazardous substances in stormwater, they have to do stormwater permitting. If a producer's site discharges stormwater that contributes to a water quality violation, they have to do stormwater permitting. If there is a production site that I find out in my district that is actually polluting, then I will have them investigate it. That is under current law. And they should be. The result of this policy, if we adopt this motion to instruct, is that we would have less domestic energy and higher natural gas prices.”