HR1433 LRB095 21763 RLJ 51977 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, In 1981, Congress first imposed a moratorium on
3 new oil drilling in more than 80% of the Outer Continental
4 Shelf; and
 
5     WHEREAS, An estimated 18 to 21 billion barrels of
6 recoverable oil are located in the areas of the Outer
7 Continental Shelf that are protected under the 1981 moratorium;
8 and
 
9     WHEREAS, Since the initial ban was imposed, drilling
10 technologies have become more sophisticated, providing for
11 more advanced imaging to locate oil deposits and safer
12 directional drilling practices for the more precise extraction
13 of oil; and
 
14     WHEREAS, Approximately 60% of the oil consumed by the
15 United States is imported; offshore drilling is an alternative
16 to oil importation that could reduce the nation's dependence on
17 foreign oil; and
 
18     WHEREAS, National motor fuel prices have reached record
19 high levels with gasoline prices exceeding $4.00 a gallon and
20 diesel prices at nearly $4.80 a gallon; average gasoline prices
21 in Illinois have also set new record high levels of more than

 

 

HR1433 - 2 - LRB095 21763 RLJ 51977 r

1 $4.15 a gallon; and
 
2     WHEREAS, Polls show that Americans are in strong support of
3 offshore drilling in coastal waters; and
 
4     WHEREAS, Supporters of offshore drilling point to record
5 high fuel prices and the nation's reliance on foreign sources
6 of oil as valid reasons for lifting the ban on coastal oil
7 exploration; and
 
8     WHEREAS, Congress has discussed measures to open the Outer
9 Continental Shelf to additional drilling, and two measures, the
10 Deep Ocean Energy Resources Act (H.R. 6108) and the National
11 Environment and Development Act (H.R. 2784), would lift the
12 current moratorium and allow coastal states to decide whether
13 to allow oil leases off their shores; therefore, be it
 
14     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
15 NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
16 support new offshore oil drilling as a means to increase the
17 energy independence of the United States, and we urge the
18 Congress of the United States of America to lift the moratorium
19 on new drilling in the Outer Continental Shelf; and be it
20 further
 
21     RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be sent

 

 

HR1433 - 3 - LRB095 21763 RLJ 51977 r

1 to the Majority Leader and the Minority Leader of the United
2 States Senate, the Speaker and the Minority Leader of the
3 United States House of Representatives, and each member of the
4 Illinois Congressional delegation.