American Oil and Gas Reporter - July 2015 - 148

ConventionSection: Western Energy Alliance

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Red Tape Nation is a series of online infographics launched by the Western Energy Alliance to demonstrate the "federal
maze hindering production." It illustrates
such impediments as deferred leasing,
delayed project approvals, and excessive
permit stipulations.

impact low prices may have on member
companies. "This is the first energy industry downturn I have been part of," he
acknowledges. "Members tell me it isn't
their first and won't be their last. This
market will make us leaner and more resilient. Companies and their trade groups
will innovate and come out stronger."
It is unfortunate that the slump in oil

and gas does not slow the pace of regulation that continues to be layered on the
industry by the federal government, he
remarks.
While federal regulators and environmental advocates continue to raise roadblocks and stir up opposition, the messages
delivered to political leaders and the
public by the Alliance and others are
helping build support where it was ambiguous in the past, says Wigley. "Our
messages are getting through," he insists.
Opinion Polling
For the third year in a row, the Alliance
hired a national polling firm to survey
likely American voters on topics of interest
to Western producers and their service
providers. Taken in mid-April, Wigley
says the survey of 1,000 likely voters by
The Tarrance Group showed continued
strong support for developing energy on
public lands.
He says the survey showed that more
than half of voters were likely to support
increased energy development on public

148 THE AMERICAN OIL & GAS REPORTER

lands available for multiple use and separate from national parks and designated
wilderness areas. Support grows to nearly
two-thirds of voters when informed that
revenue generated from production on
public lands goes to support the military
and transportation infrastructure, he adds.
When asked if proposed rules from
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
on emissions from backyard grills and
reduced flow rates for hotel showers can
be considered regulatory overreach, 61
percent agreed, according to the Alliance
survey.
Voters also expressed support for increasing state authority over public lands,
with 38 percent saying prime authority
for public lands should be transferred to
states and 39 percent saying authority
should be shared between state and federal
governments.
The survey found that voters believe
wildlife management would be better
handled by state agencies, with nearly
three of four voters siding with state authority. And when asked if enforcing the
Endangered Species Act should be the
responsibility of states, the survey indicates
79 percent of voters say they would support revising the law to give more control
to state wildlife agencies.
New in this year's poll was a question
about the ban on crude oil exports. When
asked if Congress should overturn "the
1970s era ban on exports of crude oil to
allied nations," 57 percent of respondents
said yes, according to the Alliance survey.
"The polling data are clear," Wigley
declares. "A majority of voters prefer
that wildlife and public lands access be
managed by states over the federal government. And the trend shows support is
growing.
"With solid numbers like this, we can
build support in the East because this is
not something they are aware of," he
reasons.
Capitalizing on that level of support,
Wigley says the Alliance published a
series of online infographics under the
banner "Red Tape Nation." The fourpart series is intended to illustrate the
"federal maze hindering production, such
as deferred leasing, delayed project approvals, and excessive demands," according to the Alliance.
Kathleen Sgamma, vice president of
government and public affairs at the Alliance, notes that the Obama administration
contends oil and gas production on federal
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