Bingaman to Introduce Energy Bill, May Include Drilling Provisions

Senator Bingaman (D-NM), Chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, is working on an energy package that may include some type of drilling expansion alongside provisions for conservation and the use of alternative, renewable forms of energy.

The Hill reports:

Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.), chairman of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, is drafting a multi-pronged bill that will include a drilling provision alongside other ideas that promote renewable energy and conservation, indicating a possible compromise on an issue that has dominated Congress.

Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said Monday that Democrats are open to the idea, and Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) and energy committee spokesman Bill Wicker both said Bingaman’s bill will include some kind of drilling component.

However, it is unclear whether Bingaman’s bill would allow expanded drilling in areas not currently leased to oil companies or merely include “use it or lose it” language that Democratic leaders have been pushing. In the past, Bingaman has been supportive of new drilling, such as in 2006, when he was a proponent of opening up 8 million acres to offshore drilling in the Lease 181 area in the eastern half of the Gulf of Mexico.

“Sen. Bingaman’s proposals will address both halves of the energy equation: The supply side and the demand side,” said Wicker, who said the bill may be unveiled as early as Tuesday morning.

Although Majority Leader Reid (D-NV) had previously stated he would likely not allow any votes on drilling provisions during consideration of energy packages, his tone has continued to soften.

“We have expressed our willingness to consider more drilling as part of a comprehensive short- and long-term package, but Republicans so far have not been willing to entertain other solutions,” Reid said.

The article notes that the Bingaman package could be either included in the current Democratic speculation bill (S. 3268) or offered as a side-by-side proposal if timing agreements on the debate of both bills can be reached.