CAES News
Arizona Consumer Alliance for Energy Security formed to combat rising energy costs
Coalition to focus on rising natural gas prices and obtaining greater access to domestic energy supply
EMBARGOED UNTIL JUNE 27, 2006 AT 10:00 AM
CONTACT: Gordon James
Gordon C. James Public Relations
gjames@gcjpr.com
(602) 274-1988
PHOENIX (June 27, 2006) – A broad and diverse group of Arizona business and industry associations launched a coalition today joining the Consumer Alliance for Energy Security to bring greater public awareness to energy prices that are at historic levels and urge Congress to address the U.S. energy crisis by accessing the abundant U.S. energy supplies on the Outer Continental Shelf.
“Our goal is to gain the support of individuals, businesses and organizations in an effort to address the current imbalance between the supply and demand of domestic natural gas which is creating energy prices at historic levels,” said Farrell Quinlan, Vice President of Policy Development and Communications for the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
The Consumer Alliance for Energy Security is a broad-based coalition of consumers, industrial and institutional energy users committed to alleviating the current U.S. energy crisis by supporting proposals in Congress pushing for greater access to the abundant supply of domestic energy on the Outer Continental Shelf, a submerged region off the coastal areas of Texas, Louisiana and Florida.
The Outer Continental Shelf contains enormous supplies of natural gas, a relatively untapped resource capable of providing tremendous benefits to American consumers and businesses alike. According to estimates, these supplies contain more than 400 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, or enough to power 100 million homes for 60 years. Such a plentiful supply will reverse the current trend of sharply rising energy costs, but federal policies make 85% of natural gas supplies off-limits. The Arizona Consumer Alliance for Energy Security wants to work with Congress to win an important victory for both consumers and business by urging congressional leaders to expand access along the Outer Continental Shelf.
A bipartisan bill pending before the House of Representatives, H.R. 4761, The Deep Water Energy Resources Act, is under consideration by the U.S. House of Representatives this week. Another bill in the U.S. Senate, S. 2253, co-authored by Senators Pete Domenici and Jeff Bingaman will allow for increased natural gas exploration is awaiting floor action. Both bills represent significant steps forward toward increasing the country’s supply of natural gas and help lower energy costs for U.S. consumers, those on fixed incomes, local governments, schools and hospitals.
Members of the Arizona Consumer Alliance for Energy Security include: Arizona Association of Industries, Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Southwest Gas Corporation, Townsend Homes, DeGreen Wealth Management, James Insurance Solutions and China Mist Tea Company.