Obama’s call for domestic energy strategy draws doubt in La.

Louisiana Oil and Gas Association President Don Briggs expressed skepticism today in reaction to President Barack Obama’s remarks on domestic energy in Tuesday evening’s State of the Union address. “President Obama and his administration continue to talk of job-creating energy policies, even mentioning in his opening lines of how ‘we should be in control of our own energy.’ However, red tape, regulations and moratoriums will continue for our industry unless the president’s so-called energy policies and his rhetoric actually begin to operate on a parallel track,” Briggs says. “When we see the EPA scale back their attacks on hydraulic fracking, when the first shovel hits the ground for the Keystone project, and drilling in the Gulf is back to full speed, these will be strong indicators that the administration is truly doing everything they can to promote independence from foreign oil and provide clean energy for our nation’s future.” Louisiana Republicans share Briggs’ skepticism, predicting that continued over-regulation by the Obama administration would block efforts to develop more domestic supplies, The Times-Picayune reports. In his speech, Obama said his policy would rely heavily on increased production of natural gas. “I will not back down from making sure an oil company can contain the kind of oil spill we saw in the Gulf two years ago,” Obama said. “We have a supply of natural gas that can last America nearly 100 years, and my administration will take every possible action to safely develop this energy.’ Read other reactions to Obama’s speech from Louisiana representatives in a The Times-Picayune article here.