FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 23, 2010
CONTACT:
Laura Henderson 202.621.2951
Pyle: One job killed as a result of reactionary government policy is one job too many
WASHINGTON – In response to news reports detailing the Administration’s misguided approach to the economic and employment impacts its drilling moratorium has had on Gulf Coast communities, Institute for Energy Research President Thomas J. Pyle released the following statement.
“When we first learned that the Administration would halt all deepwater exploration in a misguided attempt to respond to the oil spill, we had to assume that they just didn’t understand the importance of the industry and the thousands of jobs it provides to the communities along the Gulf Coast. After all, what government would knowingly and purposely put thousands of its citizens out of work? But now we learn that it wasn’t a lack of knowledge about the consequences that led to the unwarranted policy, it was an outright lack of concern for the livelihoods of these hardworking Americans.
“Moreover, in addition to this premeditated destruction of jobs in the deepwater, the Administration is starving the workers in the shallower waters of the Gulf by slow-walking the permit process. It now appears that even if the Administration lifts the moratorium, their deliberate stonewalling in the shallow waters of the Gulf will kill any hope of jobs and American energy production.
“While one could reasonably assume that this should be self-evident, it appears the American people need to send a message to the President, his Interior Secretary Salazar, and his offshore regulator, Michael Bromwich: one job killed as a result of a reactionary government policy is one job too many. While you write memos and hold hearings, Gulf Coast residents are suffering. And they don’t want handouts, they want their jobs back. Now is the time to end this moratorium and let these men and women to get back to work providing the American people with affordable, reliable, domestic energy.”
###
