Tag: OBAMA

Industry looks to expand operations in the Arctic President Barack Obama on Tuesday called on federal agencies to better coordinate oil and gas permitting and other regulatory oversight as the industry looks to expand operations in the Arctic and as environmentalists ramp up their opposition.The White House said a federal working group, which will be overseen by Deputy Interior Secretary David Hayes, will simplify oil and gas decision-making in Alaska by bringing together federal agencies to collaborate as they evaluate permits and environmental reviews.The working group's formation comes partly in response to criticism about delays in federal air quality and construction permits both onshore and offshore in the Arctic."Time will tell if this working group helps streamline and expedite the process, as I hope it will, or if it adds another level of bureaucracy and red tape," said Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska. "In the meantime, I commend the president for taking a positive step in the right direction."The working group also comes as a coalition of 19 environmental groups announced plans this week to uniformly oppose offshore drilling in the Arctic. The coalition - which includes the Sierra Club, the Audubon Society, Greenpeace and the Ocean Conservancy - said the ...

A long-term policy for secure and affordable energy Nine members of Congress, including several representatives of powerful national security committees, have prepared a letter imploring President Obama to press for expanded natural gas exploration and production in the United States -- primarily though the use of an unconventional and contentious technique known as horizontal hydraulic fracturing."As members of both political parties and as citizens in support of your call to get serious about a long-term policy for secure and affordable energy," reads the Monday dated letter from the group, comprised of four Republicans and five Democrats, "we urge you and members of your administration to take a leadership role in encouraging the continued development and utilization of our nation's vast natural gas resources by any means necessary, but most specifically, by unconventional shale gas recovery."Hydraulic fracturing involves the high-pressure injection of a cocktail of water, sand and a variety of chemicals thousands of feet underground to crack open rock formations and stimulate the release of natural gas. Though the process is not new, refinements in the technique -- including the ability to branch horizontally, in multiple directions, through deep-shale layers from a single bore hole -- are touted by the ...

Releasing 30 million barrels of oil from the emergency reserve Wary of a new surge in gas prices, the Obama administration said Thursday it is releasing 30 million barrels of oil from the country's emergency reserve as part of a broader international response to lost oil supplies caused by turmoil in the Middle East and North Africa, particularly Libya.The release from the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve will be the largest ever, amounting to half of a 60 million-barrel international infusion of oil planned for the world market over the next month.White House officials would not predict how the release will affect prices at the pump, although the move is intended to increase U.S. supplies during the peak summer driving season."We are taking this action in response to the ongoing loss of crude oil due to supply disruptions in Libya and other countries and their impact on the global economic recovery," Energy Secretary Steven Chu said.The move comes as retail gasoline prices dropped for the 20th consecutive day, down a penny from Wednesday, to $3.61 per gallon, according to AAA, Wright Express and the Oil Price Information Service. That's about 21 cents lower than a month ago.The timing brought criticism from ...

Their assets are blocked and U.S. persons are prohibited from dealing with them More maritime companies have fallen foul of U.S. efforts to shut down Iran's nuclear program -- including Israel's Ofer Brothers Group. It is one of two companies on which sanctions are being imposed by the Secretary of State on the grounds that it is deemed to have made certain investments in Irans energy sector or to have engaged in certain activities relating to Irans refined petroleum sector. The other company in this category is Singapore's Tanker Pacific Ship Management.U.S. financial institutions are prohibited from making loans or providing credits totaling more than $10,000,000 in any 12-month period to either of the two, "unless such person is engaged in activities to relieve human suffering and the loans or credits are provided for such activities".While the two companies are subject to certain ISA (Iran Sanctions Act) sanctions, including a prohibition on the loans or credits explained above,"this action does not make such persons Specially Designated Nationals or Blocked Persons (SDNs). Their names do not appear on the SDN List, and their property and/or interests in property are not blocked, pursuant to this action."However, other maritime companies have now been ...

Deals with the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security On April 12, 2010, by Executive Order 13536, I declared anational emergency pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701-1706) to deal with the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security andforeign policy of the United States constituted by the deterioration of the security situation and the persistence of violence in Somalia, and acts of piracy and armed robbery at sea off the coast of Somalia, which have repeatedly been the subject of United Nations Security Council resolutions, and violations of the Somalia arms embargo imposed by the United Nations Security Council.Because the situation with respect to Somalia continues topose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States, the national emergency declared on April 12, 2010, and the measures adopted on that date to deal with that emergency, must continue in effect beyond April 12, 2011. Therefore, in accordance with section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)), I am continuing for 1 year the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13536.This notice shall be published in the FederalRegister andtransmitted to the Congress.BARACK OBAMATHE WHITE ...