Published: May 13, 2008 11:46 am            

Shimkus wants to open up Arctic drilling

U.S. Rep. John Shimkus said Monday Americans are at the “tipping point” when it comes to wanting Congress to do something about gasoline prices that are nearing $4 per gallon — not to mention diesel fuel prices already more than $4 per gallon.

Shimkus, R-Collinsville, said the key is developing more domestic sources of fuel, whether it be through opening offshore areas to energy exploration, allowing drilling in the huge Arctic Circle oil basin, or providing incentives to build plants that would convert coal to various types of liquid fuel.

“Are we at a tipping point?” Shimkus asked. “If we are, we have some options.”

Shimkus said the United States controls plenty of potential oil-rich areas. But he said Congress needs to pass laws removing restrictions on offshore and Arctic drilling.

“We are the only industrialized nation to not go after our own natural resources,” the congressman said.

Shimkus said there are anywhere from 11 to 16 billion barrels of crude oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, as well as nearly 17 billion barrels of oil and close to 60 trillion cubic feet of natural gas in offshore areas currently closed to offshore drilling.

Offshore drilling is only allowed off the Louisiana and Texas Gulf coasts. Drilling is prohibited, however, on both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, as well as the eastern Gulf of Mexico. Offshore drilling opponents cite pollution, oil spills and threats to marine ecosystems as reasons not to lift long-standing bans.

Moreover, foes of Arctic drilling claim energy development in that area would damage one of the world’s most pristine ecosystems at relatively little benefit to the oil-consuming public.

Shimkus said pending legislation would lift existing restrictions. Moreover, he said, tax revenues from increased domestic oil production would enable the public and private sectors to develop solar and wind energy projects.

“This is only going to get worse if we don’t get more supply,” Shimkus said, adding all three options would take several years to implement. It’s possible, he said, for offshore drilling to be developed in as little as three years, while it would take four years to build a coal to liquid plant.

Arctic drilling, he said, wouldn’t take place until at least 10 years after its approval.

Shimkus said the public needs to lobby members of Congress to lift restrictions and drill for more domestic oil. He said several pieces of legislation that would help mitigate oil prices are pending.

For one, there’s HR 6001 — billed as the Main Street USA Energy Act. Shimkus spokesman Steve Tomaszewski said this bill addresses supply issues such as Arctic and offshore drilling, clean coal technologies, coal-to-liquid conversion and renewable energy sources.

Sponsored by Rep. Steve Buyer, R-Indiana, HR 6001 was referred to the House Subcommittee on Energy and Environment last week. Shimkus is one of the bill’s 17 co-sponsors.

Shimkus believes the public would be receptive to accessing domestic oil.

“My guess is that the American public is getting tired of high prices,” he said.

Shimkus also spoke briefly about the status of the proposed FutureGen project in Mattoon, adding members of Congress were trying to keep the multibillion plant in Mattoon, where the Department of Energy originally said it was going to be.

“We have a plan trying to get the Department of Energy to maintain their contractual agreement,” he said. “But we have to make sure the money is there before we do anything.”

Shimkus said it’s possible the Department of Energy is trying to funnel FutureGen money into other energy projects, in order to keep the plant out of Mattoon.

Bill Grimes can be reached at 217-347-7151 ext. 131 or bill.grimes@effinghamdailynews.com.