1-1 SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
1-2 WHEREAS, A strong domestic oil and gas industry is vitally
1-3 important to the United States economy and national defense; and
1-4 WHEREAS, This nation's domestic oil and gas production has
1-5 decreased by 2.7 million barrels per day during the last 13 years,
1-6 a 17 percent decline, at the same time that domestic consumption of
1-7 oil has increased by more than 14 percent; and
1-8 WHEREAS, Currently, the United States imports approximately
1-9 55 percent of the oil needed for the American economy, while the
1-10 demand for refined petroleum products is projected to increase by
1-11 more than 35 percent and the demand for natural gas is projected to
1-12 increase by more than 45 percent over the next two decades; and
1-13 WHEREAS, Much of the nation's greatest potential for future
1-14 domestic production lies in areas that are currently off limits to
1-15 oil and natural gas exploration and development, including areas
1-16 under congressional or presidential moratoria in the federal Outer
1-17 Continental Shelf (OCS), where vast amounts of oil and natural gas
1-18 may be available for extraction; and
1-19 WHEREAS, For the first time since 1988, the Minerals
1-20 Management Service, a bureau of the United States Department of the
1-21 Interior that manages the nation's oil, gas, and other mineral
1-22 resources in the OCS, has proposed an OCS lease sale for the
1-23 eastern Gulf of Mexico, in the portion of the Gulf 100 miles
1-24 southwest of the Florida Panhandle and 15 miles south of the
1-25 Alabama coastline; the bureau's tentative schedule calls for bid
2-1 opening and reading in December 2001; and
2-2 WHEREAS, The oil and gas industry has demonstrated that it
2-3 can be a good steward of the environment while operating in the
2-4 Gulf of Mexico; and
2-5 WHEREAS, Oil and gas production from this area of the Gulf of
2-6 Mexico would help offset current domestic energy production
2-7 declines and assist the nation in meeting future energy demand; and
2-8 WHEREAS, Numerous positive economic benefits for the State of
2-9 Texas have been created by oil and gas industry activities in the
2-10 Gulf, and many of the exploration and production companies that
2-11 would participate in the OCS Lease Sale 181 are headquartered in
2-12 Texas as are many of the oil field supply and service companies
2-13 that would benefit by increased activities; and
2-14 WHEREAS, The economic benefits that would result from oil and
2-15 natural gas exploration, development, and production of leases
2-16 acquired in OCS Lease Sale 181 would continue to benefit the State
2-17 of Texas and all the states bordering the Gulf of Mexico; now,
2-18 therefore, be it
2-19 RESOLVED, That the 77th Legislature of the State of Texas
2-20 hereby declare support for the Minerals Management Service plan to
2-21 proceed with the Outer Continental Shelf Lease Sale 181 for the
2-22 eastern Gulf of Mexico scheduled for December 5, 2001; and, be it
2-23 further
2-24 RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward official
2-25 copies of this resolution to the director of the Minerals
2-26 Management Service, to the secretary of the interior, to the
3-1 president of the United States, to the speaker of the house of
3-2 representatives and the president of the senate of the United
3-3 States Congress, and to all members of the Texas delegation to the
3-4 Congress of the United States of America.
_______________________________ _______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I hereby certify that S.C.R. No. 34 was adopted by the Senate
on April 11, 2001.
_______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
I hereby certify that S.C.R. No. 34 was adopted by the House
on May 8, 2001.
_______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
Approved:
_______________________________
Date
_______________________________
Governor