New Jersey-2022-AR124-Introduced

An Assembly Resolution urging the United States Congress and President to increase domestic energy production, and lessen regulatory barriers thereto, within the country.

Whereas, The United States relies, and will continue to rely for many years, on gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel despite the recent focus on renewable energy and alternative sources of energy; and

Whereas, In order to fuel the country's economy, the United States will need more oil and natural gas while also requiring additional alternative energy sources; and

Whereas, The United States has been facing high gas prices for months, but gas prices have been further exacerbated by Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine; and

Whereas, The national average price for a gallon of gas has surpassed four dollars, which is the highest national average since 2008; and

Whereas, Russia is the second largest exporter of crude oil, after Saudi Arabia, and the European Union imports approximately 40 percent of its natural gas from Russia; and

Whereas, Europe's dependence on Russia for energy has limited the international response to Russia's invasion, with sanctions being specifically designed not to target Russia's fuel exports amid fears that such a move could result in significantly increased energy prices throughout Europe and worldwide; and

Whereas, The Ukraine crisis prompted a meeting of the International Energy Agency Board, at which 31 member countries agreed to release 60 million barrels of oil from their strategic reserves with 30 million of the barrels being provided by the United States; and

Whereas, It is more important than ever for the United States to achieve greater energy independence and further enhance national security by reducing reliance on energy from the Middle East, Russia, and Venezuela; and

Whereas, Oil from the Middle East, Russia, and Venezuela comes with increased price volatility and requires partnerships with unstable regimes and leaders with competing political interests; and

Whereas, On March 4, 2022, 25 governors signed a letter calling upon President Biden to restore this country's energy independence by increasing domestic energy production and lessening regulatory barriers to domestic energy production; and

Whereas, The letter specifically requested President Biden remove bans on new oil and gas development on federal lands, reinstate regulatory reforms to streamline energy permitting, incentivize energy production on idle lands, and approve the construction of oil and natural gas pipelines within the county, including reapproving construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline; and

Whereas, On March 29, 2019, President Trump issued a Presidential Permit to begin construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline, which would have connected the United States oil supply to oil fields in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin in Alberta, providing oil to the United States at a rate of up to 830,000 barrels per day, but this permit for construction was revoked on January 20, 2021, by President Biden; and

Whereas, Securing and fostering a mutually beneficial trade relationship with Canada, one of this country's strongest allies and neighbors, with regard to these oil supplies, would have increased the country's energy independence, lowered the cost of gasoline, produced up to 11,000 high-paying jobs for United States citizens, and resulted in more stable trade relationships; and

Whereas, Increasing domestic energy production within the United States would result in enhanced national security, lower oil and gas prices, and higher energy independence and for these reasons, it is crucial for the Congress and the President of the United States to increase, and lessen regulatory barriers to, domestic energy production within the country; now, therefore,

Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. This House urges the Congress and the President of the United States to increase domestic energy production, and lessen regulatory barriers thereto, within the country.

2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly to the President and Vice President of the United States, the Majority and Minority Leaders of the United States Senate, the Speaker and Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives, the Secretary of the United States Department of Energy, and every member of Congress elected from this State.

STATEMENT

This resolution urges the Congress and the President of the United States to increase domestic energy production, and lessen regulatory barriers thereto, within the country.

The United States relies, and will continue to rely for many years, on gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel despite the recent focus on renewable energy and alternative sources of energy. In order to fuel the country's economy, the United States will need more oil and natural gas while also developing additional alternative energy sources. Gas prices have been high across the country for months. These gas prices have been further exacerbated by Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. Europe's current dependence on Russia for energy has limited the international response to Russia's invasion, with sanctions being specifically designed not to target Russia's fuel exports amid fears that such a move could result in significantly increased energy prices throughout Europe and worldwide.

It is more important than ever for the United States to achieve greater energy independence and further enhance national security by reducing reliance on energy from the Middle East, Russia, and Venezuela. Oil from the Middle East, Russia, and Venezuela comes with increased price volatility and requires partnerships with unstable regimes and leaders with competing political interests.

On March 4, 2022, 25 governors signed a letter calling upon President Biden to restore this country's energy independence by increasing domestic energy production and lessening regulatory barriers to domestic energy production. The letter specifically requested President Biden remove bans on new oil and gas development on federal lands, reinstate regulatory reforms to streamline energy permitting, incentivize energy production on idle lands, and approve the construction of oil and natural gas pipelines within the county, including reapproving construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline.

Increasing domestic energy production within the United States would result in enhanced national security, lower oil and gas prices, and higher energy independence and for these reasons, it is crucial for Congress and the President of the United States to increase, and lessen regulatory barriers to, domestic energy production within the country.