On June 1, 2018, NOSA testified before the U.S. Congress' Subcommittee on Energy and Minerals during a Field Hearing in Grand Junction, CO.
Below is NOSA's News Release
NEWS RELEASE
June 6, 2018
NATIONAL OIL SHALE ASSOCIATION URGES CONGRESS TO TAKE ACTION ON OIL SHALE
On June 1, 2018, the National Oil Shale Association was one of seven parties to testify before a U. S. House Subcommittee on Energy and Minerals. The title of the hearing was “Natural Gas and Oil Shale of the Piceance Basin” and it was held at Colorado Mesa University, Grand Junction, Colorado. Representing the Subcommittee were Chairman Representative Rob Bishop (R-UT) and Representative Scott Tipton (R-CO).
Gary Aho, NOSA’s Executive Director, represented the Association. He presented key points from NOSA’s 2017 White Paper that called on Congress to follow through on the findings of the Task Force on Unconventional Fuels which issued its final report in 2007 as mandated by the Energy Policy Act of 2005.
NOSA put forth a “call to action’ in regard to oil shale. Key points included the following:
• Oil shale is an important domestic resource with over 70% located on Federal lands in CO, UT and WY. This is believed to be the largest, single, untapped hydrocarbon resource in the world
• This oil shale resource could meet a critical part of the Nation’s petroleum and chemical needs for well over 100 years
• Oil shale development will create thousands of high-paying, long-term jobs
• Oil shale development will generate billions of dollars in tax and royalty revenues to the Federal, State and local governments
• Oil shale development will result in improved national and economic security for the U.S. and reduce strategic dependence on foreign oil
• Oil shale can become the National Strategic Oil Shale Reserve (NSOSR), replacing much of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve that now exists
NOSA then presented the following recommendations to Congress:
• The current Administration should include oil shale in its “all-of-the-above” National Energy Policy
• The BLM should designate certain oil shale areas as Strategic, such that they are off limits to conventional oil and gas drilling. The shale oil per acre far exceeds the value of any gas that might be produced from that acreage.
• Congress should revisit the 2005 Energy Policy Act mandates, which are still part of the law
• Congress should establish an Oil Shale Advisory Board to review the 2007 Task Force Report and update it to include recommendations appropriate for these times and the current domestic oil production scenario
• Oil Shale Advisory Board members would include representatives from the Departments of Energy, Defense, and Interior, EPA, industry and state and local governments
• NOSA would be engaged to Chair the Oil Shale Advisory Board and work with the Board to produce a Final Report with recommendations to Congress within 9 months
• NOSA, a non-profit, would receive a Federal grant of $250,000 to direct the efforts of the Advisory Board, organize meetings, and produce the Final Report
NOSA is a not-for-profit educational association that puts forth factual information on oil shale and the benefits the nation will receive from developing this bountiful natural resource. The Association membership includes companies, individual and nonprofit organizations Contact information is:
Gary D. Aho
Executive Director
National Oil Shale Association
P.O. Box 411, Rifle, Co 81650
970-618-0294
oilshaleus@gmail.com
www.oilshaleassoc.org ...
