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Regular Session, 2010
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 214
BY REPRESENTATIVE DOVE AND SENATOR CHABERT
FEDERAL MANDATES: Urges and requests Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar, to
reconsider the directive that he issued which instituted six-month moratorium on oil
and gas exploration in the Gulf of Mexico and to possibly alter that directive to
minimize the negative economic impact of such directive on the already damaged
economies of the state of Louisiana and the other oil and gas producing states along
the Gulf of Mexico.
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON1
To urge and request Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar, to reconsider the directive that2
he issued which instituted six-month moratorium on oil and gas exploration in the3
Gulf of Mexico and to possibly alter that directive to minimize the negative4
economic impact of such directive on the already damaged economies of the state5
of Louisiana and the other oil and gas producing states along the Gulf of Mexico.6
WHEREAS, as a result of the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon oil platform on7
April 20, 2010, the sinking of the platform three days later, and the ensuing disastrous8
environmental impacts, the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Interior, Ken Salazar, has9
issued a moratorium on deepwater exploration in the Gulf of Mexico; and10
WHEREAS, Secretary Salazar states that "The six month moratorium on deepwater11
drilling will provide time to implement new safety requirements and to allow the Presidential12
Commission to complete its work." and he states that the moratorium does not apply to13
deepwater production, although deepwater production will continue subject to close14
oversight and safety requirements; and15
WHEREAS, although activities necessary to support deepwater production may16
continue, the Secretary's directive requires such activities must obtain approval from the17
Department of Interior in order to continue; and18
WHEREAS, safety is of paramount importance in the oil and gas industry, an19
industry that has an excellent long term record for safety, therefore, the impetus behind the20
Secretary's directive is valid and laudable; and21 HLS 10RS-5057 ORIGINAL
HCR NO. 214
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WHEREAS, the Secretary's directive directs oil and gas lessees and operators to1
cease drilling new deepwater wells, including wellbore and bypass activities, prohibits the2
spudding of any new deepwater wells, and provides that the Minerals Management Service3
will not consider drilling permits for deepwater wells or related activities; and4
WHEREAS, the directive also requires that operators who are currently drilling any5
oil or gas well covered by the Moratorium Notice to Lessees ". . . proceed at the next safe6
opportunity to secure the well and take all necessary steps to cease operations and7
temporarily abandon or close the well until they receive further guidance from the Regional8
Supervisor of Field Operations"; and9
WHEREAS, the directive will essentially stop for at least six months all oil and gas10
exploration activity in the Gulf of Mexico in five hundred feet of water or more, and will11
probably cease such activity for longer than six months since it will take more time for the12
Mineral Management Service to again begin to review applications for drilling permits, and13
the directive will cease all activity on at least thirty-three exploration wells in the deepwater14
of the Gulf of Mexico, wells that currently employ thousands of Louisiana citizens and15
citizens from along the Gulf Coast; and16
WHEREAS, deepwater exploration and production of oil and gas in the Gulf17
of Mexico is a multi-billion dollar per year industry supporting associated businesses in18
Louisiana and all over the United States, an industry that is growing into the deepwater of19
the Gulf of Mexico to pursue the domestic oil and gas reserves that our country so20
desperately wants and needs to develop so that we are not dependent on foreign oil and gas21
production; and22
WHEREAS, although the bulk of the oil and gas industry was not at fault nor23
involved with the Deepwater Horizon tragedy, the moratorium will have a direct and24
devastating effect on those oil and gas companies, and exploration companies, and their25
contractors who are being penalized after having drilled thousand of wells and operated26
safely for years in the Gulf of Mexico; and 27
WHEREAS, it is the fear of the Louisiana Legislature that the Secretary's directive28
will have a devastating effect on the economy of the state of Louisiana and of the states that29
allow and support deepwater oil or gas drilling in the Gulf of Mexico and will have a30 HLS 10RS-5057 ORIGINAL
HCR NO. 214
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negative effect on businesses all over the United States that do business with the oil and gas1
industry or are frequented by the employees of the oil and gas industry in the Gulf of2
Mexico; and3
WHEREAS, a six-month closure of deepwater oil and gas exploration in the Gulf of4
Mexico likely will cause an economic disaster on top of the economic and environmental5
disaster already visited on the state of Louisiana and other oil and gas producing states along6
the Gulf of Mexico by the explosion of BP's Deepwater Horizon drilling platform.7
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby8
urge and request Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar, to reconsider his directive that9
established a six-month moratorium on oil and gas exploration in the Gulf of Mexico and10
alter the directive in a manner to lessen the economic impact on the state of Louisiana and11
the rest of the states along the Gulf of Mexico who are most affected by the developing and12
increasing disaster not only to our fragile wetlands and shorelines but also to our economic13
health and stability by reducing the time of the moratorium to no more than thirty days while14
not sacrificing safety and environmental concerns through implementation of additional15
safety measures as outlined below.16
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that it is within the Secretary's power to alter the17
moratorium on drilling in the deepwater of the Gulf of Mexico so that the economic hardship18
created for the state of Louisiana and the other oil and gas producing states along the Gulf19
of Mexico is lessened, with the Secretary able to consider alternatives as those set forth in20
the Department of Interior report entitled "Increased Safety Measures for Energy21
Development on the Outer Continental Shelf of May 27, 2010", several of which can be22
implemented immediately including Minerals Management Service verification of the safety23
of the following:24
(a)certify blowout prevention stacks25
(b)verify blowout prevention equipment compatibility26
(c)develop new inspection procedures and reporting requirements27
(d)establish new fluid displacement procedures28
(e)verify compliance with existing regulations and National Safety Alert29
requirements; and30 HLS 10RS-5057 ORIGINAL
HCR NO. 214
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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary could also consider allowing any1
already permitted drilling activity to continue to completion of the well; and2
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the other measures set forth in the Department3
of Interior "Increased Safety Measures for Energy Development on the Outer Continental4
Shelf of May 27, 2010" could be implemented such as those requiring emergency rule5
making, as well as recommendations developed by the National Commission on the BP6
Deepwater Horizon Spill and Offshore Drilling investigation which could be implemented7
concurrent with the continued operations of offshore deepwater drilling without damaging8
the economies of the very states and communities that are bearing the brunt of the economic9
and environmental damage from the disaster; and10
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Minerals Management Service inspectors11
could be required to maintain a twenty-four hour per day, seven day a week presence on all12
ongoing deep water drilling locations, with a seven to ten day rotation schedule and the13
Secretary could require strict compliance with American Petroleum Institute standards on14
all equipment used in well construction and operation.15
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be forwarded to the16
Secretary of the U.S. Department of Interior, Ken Salazar, and to each member of the17
Louisiana Congressional Delegation.18
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
Dove HCR No. 214
Urges and requests Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar, to reconsider the directive that he
issued which instituted six-month moratorium on oil and gas exploration in the Gulf of
Mexico and to possibly alter that directive to minimize the negative economic impact of
such directive on the already damaged economies of the state of Louisiana and the other oil
and gas producing states along the Gulf of Mexico.