Bishop, Chaffetz blast Obama over oil exploration delay

Reps. Rob Bishop and Jason Chaffetz, both R-Utah, joined a group a Western Republicans who criticized the Obama administration on Tuesday for not allowing more oil exploration on the Outer Continental Shelf — a year after then-President George W. Bush lifted a moratorium on that.

"The evidence is clear that this administration seems intent on restricting the development of American energy resources," said Bishop, chairman of the Western Caucus.

His comments came on the one-year anniversary of Bush's lifting of the presidential moratorium on offshore drilling on the OCS (although a congressional moratorium remained in place at that time).

Bishop and others in the caucus complained the Obama administration has delayed a new five-year leasing program for the OCS they say could provide access to more oil and gas and create a million new jobs.

"The reality is that America has ample resources to provide for our energy needs, create new jobs and start down the road toward economic recovery," Bishop said.

"The moratorium has been lifted, but the Obama administration has demonstrated the OCS will remain off-limits to the environmentally safe production of American-made energy," Chaffetz said.

"Combined with the 77 canceled oil and gas leases in Utah, the Obama administration has shown it has no energy policy, other than to increase taxes on our current energy consumption," he said.

"With unemployment nearing double digits, and energy prices set to spike again, it is time for the administration to allow for the responsible development of our own resources," Chaffetz said.

Among other Westerners, Rep. Dean Heller, R-Nev., said, "Our nation needs a comprehensive energy plan that promotes conservation, renewable energy development and access to our own natural resources."

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