Delegation

Key Democrats in the California congressional delegation have introduced legislation in the House and Senate to permanently ban oil and natural gas leasing off the state’s coastline.

The nine-member Louisiana congressional delegation is expected to offer legislation later this week that would give Gulf Coast producing states a share of federal revenues from offshore oil and natural gas production to help with recovery efforts in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

Key Senate members of the Florida delegation weren’t ready to declare a full victory after the Bush administration, in a compromise gesture earlier this week, significantly scaled back plans to allow oil and natural gas drilling in the eastern Gulf of Mexico.

Texas Railroad Commissioner Tony Garza warned the statelegislature and the Texas Congressional delegation last week of anexpected 55% increase in natural gas prices this winter for smallcustomers and the expected continuation of high prices for the nextyear to 18 months.

With bipartisan and Administration support, legislation craftedby the Wyoming Congressional delegation to give coalbed methaneleaseholders and production companies some relief from a recentappellate court decision won rapid and unanimous approval by theSenate Energy Committee last Wednesday. The bill, S.2500, isexpected to be taken up by the full Senate at any time, and thebill’s language also is expected to become part of a manager’samendment to the Interior Department’s appropriations bill, whichmust be approved before the end of the session next month.

With bipartisan and administration support, the legislationcrafted by the Wyoming Congressional delegation last week to givecoalbed methane leaseholders and production companies some relieffrom a recent appellate court decision won rapid and unanimousapproval by the Senate Energy Committee on Wednesday. The bill isexpected to be taken up by the full Senate at any time, and thebill’s language is expected to also become part of a manager’samendment to the Interior Department’s appropriations bill, whichmust be approved before the end of the session next month.