Includes Environment Safeguards, Gives Production Authority to the States

Washington, DC, Jun 29, 2006 - U.S. Representative John Carter (TX-31) co-sponsored legislation that passed the House today that will allow the U.S. to increase the production of energy on the outer-continental shelf (OCS). H.R. 4761, the Deep Ocean Energy Resources (DOER) Act, gives coastal states permanent power to prohibit energy production within 100 miles of their coastline, while allowing the United States to authorize energy exploration between 100 and 200 miles off states’ coastlines.

“I am proud to be a co-sponsor of this legislation that helps address America’s long-term energy needs,” Congressman Carter said. “Allowing for the exploration of the vast energy resources in the outer-continental shelf will allow our country to become more energy self-sufficient. There are a number of economic benefits that result from increased domestic energy production, including lower fuel prices, additional jobs, and greater security.”

Texas and other states that may choose to produce energy in the deep seas off their coasts will benefit financially under the DOER Act. The bill allows producing states to split all revenues with the federal government. The states and local communities will be able to use these funds for a number of purposes, including: education, transportation, lower taxes, energy efficiency and conservation, or other purposes the state determine.

The DOER Act eliminates outdated federal regulations imposing a blanket prohibition on deep sea energy production. The bill gives decision-making power to the states, allowing them to choose whether or not to allow exploration off their coasts. Further, the bill prohibits any production within 50 miles of shore but gives states authority to allow energy production between 50 and 100 miles off their shores.

Any energy exploration resulting from this bill would be conducted under stringent environmental regulations to protect and enhance our natural resources. The bill would create hundreds of thousands of new jobs and preserve hundreds of thousands of others.