Americans Foot The Bill For Environmental Lobbyism At The Pump-A Harsha Sankar Letter

Dear Citizen, October 2010

The big lobbyists-for-hire now all share identical characteristics and interests. They have truly become one-stop shopping for all political influence needs.

There is no bigger testament to this than environmentalist lobbyists. One way Americans foot the bill is at the pump. For decades, the US has been prohibited from drilling for oil containing billions of barrels of oil. Yet China, Cuba, Canada, and others continue to drill from those same places, such as oil fields fifty miles from Key West, Florida. ANWR, in Alaska, has estimated capacity of a million barrels a day. However, it is barred from development.

According to Minerals Management Service and Bureau Of Land Management has 139 billion barrels of recoverable oil. Of the 279 million acres of federal land with "potential oil and natural gas resources",60 percent is off limits. 23 percent is open to restrictive leases. The remainder is open to oil drilling on the same terms as private land.

EPA’s convoluted rules, such as mandating the production and sale of fifteen unique ‘boutique’ fuel blends throughout the nation, has stretched U.S. refinery capacity too thin. Slightest refinery issues cause severe

supply difficulties and price hikes.

Not one refinery has been built since 1976. Not one nuclear plant has been built in a decade. All development is frozen due to higher taxes and to interpretive regulations. As world oil demand grows exponentially, Americans should rely much less on foreign oil sources.

Lobbying law firms must be limited. Ban all judicial, legislative, and executive lobbyists from office.

Very Truly Yours,

Harsha Sankar

908 Valley Ridge Road

Covington, Virginia 24426