08 LC 28
3808
House
Resolution 1017
By:
Representatives Bearden of the
68th,
Amerson of the
9th,
and Lewis of the
15th
A
RESOLUTION
Urging
Congress and the President to remove the moratorium on offshore oil and gas
drilling; and for other purposes.
WHEREAS,
exploration for natural gas in the State of Georgia´s outer continental
shelf areas is currently prohibited under the federal ban on offshore oil and
gas drilling, a moratorium that has been in place since 1982; and
WHEREAS,
the rising demand for natural gas as a clean-burning fuel source coupled with a
limited supply of natural gas will continue to boost heating and electricity
costs, affecting homeowners, small business owners, and a range of major
industries; and
WHEREAS,
Georgia is home to the Elba Island Liquified Natural Gas Terminal, one of the
nation´s key receiving points for natural gas; and
WHEREAS,
the provision of an increased diversity of natural gas supplies to Georgia will
offset part of the need for supplies from the Gulf of Mexico and will help
stabilize or lower the price for natural gas in Georgia, helping to create a
favorable energy market for Georgia consumers; and
WHEREAS,
a favorable energy market in Georgia will aid economic development, help attract
new jobs, and help to secure existing jobs; and
WHEREAS,
natural gas is a clean burning fuel that is more environmentally safe to produce
and use than other fossil fuels; and
WHEREAS,
the outer continental shelf off the coast of Georgia is about 80 miles wide with
the eastern boundary being marked by the Gulf Stream and is the widest in the
South Atlantic Bight, which extends from Cape Canaveral, Florida, to Cape
Hatteras, North Carolina; and
WHEREAS,
Georgia´s coast is more than 100 miles in length and has two highly
developed ports in Brunswick and Savannah, which is home to the largest
single-terminal container facility of its kind on the Eastern and Gulf Coasts of
the United States; and
WHEREAS,
in order to meet the energy demands of Georgians and the rest of this nation and
to benefit the Georgia economy, there is a need to resume exploration for and
drilling of offshore natural gas.
NOW,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that the members of
this body strongly urge the Congress of the United States and the President to
remove the moratorium on offshore drilling for oil and natural gas to allow
coastal states, such as Georgia, the right to determine its offshore
resources.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized
and directed to transmit an appropriate copy of this resolution to President
George W. Bush, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the
President of the United States Senate, and the members of the Georgia
congressional delegation.