GEST Responds to Congressional Hearings on Federal Offshore Energy Development

The Gulf Economic Survival Team (GEST) made the following statements in response to today’s U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and U.S. House Natural Resources hearings to examine offshore energy development in federal lands and waters.

“The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Hearing on Offshore Energy Development is an opportunity for members to hear how the administration’s oil and natural gas leasing ban in the offshore Gulf of Mexico is a flawed and short-slighted policy that will undermine our nation’s energy independence, jeopardize coastal communities and impact much needed jobs for many years to come,” said Lori LeBlanc, GEST Executive Director. “While the offshore leasing ban is in place, it will result in reduced funding to coastal states like Louisiana for coastal restoration and hurricane protection projects that provide critical flood protection and mitigate against climate change.”

“Our offshore workers and the service workers proudly produce the energy that literally fuels America as well as the creating hundreds of thousands of indirect and induced jobs, from boat companies to grocery stores to car dealerships. Our Gulf coast energy workers stand ready to work with this Administration to ‘Build Back Better’ through an energy transition supported by smart strategic policies. We urge Congress to pass legislation that further requires and protects our offshore oil and natural gas leases for continued and ongoing development.”