Yesterday, the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) filed comments with the Department of the Interior’s (DOI) Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) urging them to expedite the permitting and lease process in the Chukci Sea and other areas of Alaska’s Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) for oil and natural gas development.

Estimates show that in Alaska’s OCS, there are roughly 27 billion barrels of oil and 132 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. It is time to put an end to needless red tape, excessive delays and unreasonable regulations preventing domestic exploration and production.  Using these abundant resources will not only generate $193 billion in revenue to the government over the next 50 years, it will also create tens of thousands of jobs, increase our energy security and our domestic supply as well.

While unemployment continues to increase, and energy prices are at record highs, it is time we use the domestic resources readily available to us to solve the problems we face.

Manufacturers support responsible and environmentally sensitive practices that promote safety and conservation, and this can be achieved; all while securing our energy future and rebuilding our shaken economy. It is time to open up Alaska’s OCS.