IV
107TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. CON. RES. 136
Expressing the sense of the Congress that the moratoria on new oil and
natural gas leasing activity on submerged lands of the Outer Continental
Shelf should be maintained.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MAY 16, 2001
Mrs. CAPPS (for herself, Mr. THOMPSON of California, Mr. SCARBOROUGH,
Mr. BOEHLERT, Mr. FARR of California, Mr. GEORGE MILLER of Cali-
fornia, Ms. LEE, Mr. PALLONE, Mr. LANTOS, Mrs. DAVIS of California,
Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon, Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD, Mr. HONDA, Mrs.
NAPOLITANO, Mr. STARK, Ms. WOOLSEY, Mr. FILNER, Ms. SOLIS, Mr.
SHERMAN, Ms. PELOSI, Ms. ESHOO, Mr. DAVIS
of Florida, Mr.
BLUMENAUER, Mrs. TAUSCHER, Mrs. THURMAN, Mr. WAXMAN, Ms.
HARMAN, Mr. MATSUI, Mr. BERMAN, Mr. FRANK, Ms. LOFGREN, Mr.
WEXLER, Ms. WATERS, Ms. MILLENDER-MCDONALD, Mr. ALLEN, Mr.
WU, Ms. BROWN
of Florida, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mr. HORN, Mr.
HASTINGS of Florida, Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island, Mr. DEFAZIO, Mr.
DEUTSCH, Mr. SCHIFF, Mr. BECERRA, Mr. GILCHREST, Mr. SMITH of
Washington, Mr. DELAHUNT, and Mr. ABERCROMBIE) submitted the fol-
lowing concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Re-
sources
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of the Congress that the moratoria
on new oil and natural gas leasing activity on submerged
lands of the Outer Continental Shelf should be main-
tained.
Whereas during the last 8 years, the Federal Government has
operated robust oil, gas, and coal leasing offshore and on-
•HCON 136 IH
shore programs that matched, or exceeded, production
levels during the administration of former President
Reagan, and during the administration of former Presi-
dent Bush;
Whereas offshore, the United States has leased and currently
manages more than 44,000,000 acres of Outer Conti-
nental Shelf lands;
Whereas proposals to provide more access to currently pro-
tected Federal lands for development by the oil, gas, and
coal industries ignore how much land is already available
for that purpose;
Whereas it is not necessary to drill in sensitive areas to meet
America’s energy needs;
Whereas since 1982 there has been in effect a statutory mor-
atorium on new leasing, pre-leasing, and related activities
on submerged lands of the Outer Continental Shelf;
Whereas in 1990 former President Bush utilized his author-
ity to place areas of the Outer Continental Shelf in the
areas of northern, central and southern California; the
North Atlantic; Washington and Orego; and parts of the
eastern Gulf of Mexico off limits to new leasing through
2000;
Whereas in 1998 President Clinton extended the Bush limita-
tion through June 2012;
Whereas citizens of California, Florida, and other Outer Con-
tinental Shelf moratoria States are overwhelmingly op-
posed to new oil drilling off their coastlines and are con-
cerned about plans to open the Florida Gulf Coast to new
leasing;
Whereas a majority of Americans are growing increasingly
concerned about the environment and believe that pro-
•HCON 136 IH
tecting it should take precedence over economic develop-
ment;
Whereas the American people have made a decision to protect
the Nation’s coastlines from oil development, because
they know there are far better alternatives; and
Whereas there are many other worthy options before the Con-
gress that could increase energy independence and reduce
reliance on foreign oil, such as reauthorization of the
Strategic Petroleum Reserve, incentives to improve en-
ergy efficiency, research into renewable energy and alter-
native fuels, fully funding energy conservation and effi-
ciency programs, including solar and renewables, weath-
erization, and other initiatives: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that the
existing moratorium on new oil and natural gas leasing,
pre-leasing, and related activities on submerged lands of
the Outer Continental Shelf should be maintained.
Æ