NPRA Commends Chariman Domenici's Decision To Hold Natural Gas Conference
Recommends Specific Natural Gas Policy Initiatives
NPRA today commended Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Pete Domenici (R-NM) for scheduling the January 24th Natural Gas Supply and Demand Conference, and his continuing interest in ensuring adequate supplies of natural gas to all consumers.
NPRA joined many other stakeholders in making a detailed submission to the Committee covering most aspects of natural gas supply, transport and demand. In summing up the NPRA submission, NPRA President Bob Slaughter said, "America's standard of living and overall economic health are closely linked to the need for adequate supplies of natural gas and other forms of energy at reasonable, market-based prices." Emphasizing the role of current government policies which impose artificial barriers to increased supplies, Slaughter added that "The U.S. is not running out of gas; it is just running out of places where industry is allowed to look for ample supplies of this critical natural resource…There is also an urgent need to harmonize the nation's energy and environmental policies, and any national energy plan must include supply and market-oriented policies for all fossil fuels, especially natural gas."
While encouraging both conservation and efficiency as short-term objectives, NPRA's submission told the committee that prospects for improving the nation's natural gas supply in the near term are unfortunately somewhat limited and that … "our nation's natural gas supply for the immediate future depends upon good weather and good luck this winter and next summer." NPRA urged that both Congress and the Administration take action to encourage increased supplies of all fossil fuels, especially natural gas, at the earliest possible date. "This will require the political will to change current policy to put greater emphasis on supply-based initiatives and supply diversity," said Slaughter.
NPRA members include more than 450 companies, including virtually all US refiners and petrochemical manufacturers. Our members supply consumers with a wide variety of products and services used daily in their homes and businesses. These products include gasoline, diesel fuel, home heating oil, jet fuel, lubricants and the chemicals that serve as "building blocks" in making everything from plastics to clothing to medicine to computers.
Source: NPRA