Pallone Commends Salazar for Revisiting Bush Administration's Offshore Drilling Plan

Washington, D.C. --- U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), a senior member of both the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the House Natural Resources Committee, issued the following statement today after U.S. Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar announced plans to revamp the Bush administration's last minute offshore drilling plan.

On January 16th, the Bush administration proposed a new five-year plan for offshore oil and gas leasing. The administration issued a deadline for public comment of March 23rd.

Today, Salazar extended the public comment period for the Bush administration's plan for oil and gas development on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf by 180 days, giving interested parties a total of 240 days to comment. He also directed scientists at Interior to assemble information about all available offshore resources, including renewable energy.

"The Obama administration rightfully put the brakes on the Bush administration's runaway drilling train. It is not in our nation's long-term interest to fast track a five-year plan that focuses on drilling for fossil fuels off our coastline. Today's announcement slows down a broken process and allows the Obama administration to use sound science to develop a comprehensive energy plan that includes renewable forms of energy."