CAES News
Letter: NCGA Strongly Supports Deep Ocean Energy Resources Act
The Honorable J. Dennis Hastert
Speaker
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515
The Honorable John A. Boehner
Majority Leader
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515
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Dear Speaker Hastert and Majority Leader Boehner:
The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) strongly supports the Deep Ocean Energy Resources (DOER) Act (H.R. 4761), legislation to increase exploration, development and production of oil and natural gas in the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). Corn growers rely on affordable energy resources as feedstock for fertilizer, but also energy for irrigation, powering farm equipment, drying grain and producing ethanol. Increased energy prices have already had an adverse effect on farmers due to higher production costs, and will continue to do so in the future. Our nation’s economic and energy security will be seriously impacted should we not take action to expand domestic energy sources to feed our country’s growing demand.
The DOER Act represents a bipartisan compromise that provides states with unprecedented decision-making authority over their coastal resources. States that want to produce offshore energy for our nation will gain the ability to do so, and states that want to continue offshore production moratoria will have the ability to do so for the long-term. It is imperative that adequate domestic supplies of natural gas be developed for the future prosperity of American farmers.
NCGA urges the House of Representatives to act expeditiously to promote the development of domestic energy resources that will secure future economic growth for our nation by passing H.R. 4761. Congress needs to enact policy now that further develops all domestic energy resources for a more diverse portfolio, and environmentally sensitive production of adequate domestic supplies of oil and natural gas. A vote against H.R. 4761 on the floor of the House of Representatives would be devastating for U.S. agriculture.
Sincerely,
National Corn Growers Association