Edward

Rep. Edward Markey (D-MA), a strong proponent of ending liberal royalty relief for producers, assailed the Bush administration Wednesday for not being tough enough with producers to resolve the debacle over royalty-free deepwater oil and natural gas leases.

A group of House Democrats led by Rep. Edward Markey of Massachusetts sent a letter to the American Petroleum Institute (API) Thursday disputing claims by oil and natural gas producers that a proposal restricting royalty relief would lead to the breach of existing leases or would bar so many U.S. producers from purchasing new leases that it would effectively outsource production in the Gulf of Mexico and elsewhere to foreign companies.

Rep. Edward Markey (D-MA) a senior member of the House Resources Committee, on Monday asked the head of the Interior Department’s Minerals Management Service (MMS) to explain why producers are being given greater royalty relief for natural gas produced from deep wells in shallow water than for wells drilled in the deep waters of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).

Pennsylvania Gov. Edward G. Rendell has called on the state legislature, state utility companies and energy providers to provide an additional $30 million this winter for low income energy assistance because average home heating bills in the state are expected to increase about 48% and the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) will be insufficient to cover the increase.

Representative Edward J. Markey (D-MA) said Friday he plans to offer an amendment in the next week to strike language from the House version of the energy bill that would give the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission exclusive authority to regulate liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminals. House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Joe Barton announced Friday that he will hold a full committee markup of the bill beginning Tuesday.

Representative Edward J. Markey (D-MA) said Friday he plans to offer an amendment in the next week to strike language from the House version of the energy bill that would give the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission exclusive authority to regulate liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminals. House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Joe Barton announced Friday that he will hold a full committee markup of the bill beginning Tuesday.

Rep. Edward Markey (D-MA) and Sen. Joseph Lieberman (D-CT) announced they were introducing legislation Wednesday to keep the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) closed to oil and natural gas drilling.

FERC Chairman Pat Wood will meet with Mayor Edward Lambert Jr. of Fall River, MA, where the heavily contested Weaver’s Cove liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal is to be located, to discuss his city’s opposition to the $250 million facility, according to a notice issued Friday. The one-hour meeting is scheduled for Jan. 24.

In a letter to FERC, Massachusetts Democrat Sens. John F. Kerry and Edward M. Kennedy said they were opposed to the Weaver’s Cove Energy planned liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal for Fall River, MA, citing the project’s potential harmful effects and risks to the city and surrounding area.