What should be done about the gas and oil royalties?

"Oil and gas companies that lease federal lands and waters typically pay fees, known as royalties, to the federal government based on a percentage of the oil and gas that they produce. But more than 1,000 leases signed during the Clinton administration for deep water drilling in the Gulf of Mexico excluded royalty fees, allowing companies to walk away with the entire profit from the sale of oil and gas produced when prices soared." NASDAQ

Use the resources at Crude Awakening at NOW to begin to explore this issue. | House Energy Bill | Energy Policy act of 2005

Watch Crude Awakening

Should these royalties be adjusted?

Should the government be giving away or leasing at below market value, property that belongs to the taxpayers?

Are the oil companies making "excessively high" profits?

Clean Energy Act 2007 H.R. 6 passed the U.S. House by a 264-163 vote. H.R.6

How did your Representative vote on it?

Do you support or disagree with their vote?

When your representative is up for reelection. Will their vote on this issue impact your vote for them?

Action:

Write a letter regarding this issue to your Senators. Tell them how you feel about this issue and what you believe should be done about it. Endeavor to cite specific examples.

Your challenges include: finding their office address, using the correct salutation including title, as well as, following appropriate business letter writing format.

*Many elected officials have an email form/link in their web site. It is reasonable to use this, in lieu of paper and postage, but format and style expectations will remain the same. Write the letter in word processing. Edit it as needed. Then copy .. paste it into the email form. Some have set a maximum character limit to emails. If that is the case, write the formal letter. Then drop the address heading and date from the email.

Further issues:

While you are think about this issue read about "Energy rights of way report approaches 'final draft' status" story on Native Americans and their rights over energy resources on their lands.

Suppose they found a large oil reserve under your family's farm or home.
Should the government be able to dictate to you how much to sell it for? Should they be able to take the oil without your consent?

 

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