The American Energy Act (H.R. 2846):

• Creates New Jobs by Opening the Outer Continental Shelf: According to the American Energy Alliance (AEA), lifting the moratoria on energy development on the OCS would generate:
  • 1.2 million jobs annually across the country
  • $8 trillion in economic output to the GDP
  • $2.2 trillion in total tax receipts
  • $70 billion in additional wages each year
• Protects the Environment by Expanding the Use of Carbon-Free Nuclear Power: This bill establishes a national goal to bring 100 new nuclear reactors online over the next 20 years to strengthen America’s commitment to clean, reliable energy.
• Protects the Environment by Funding Renewable Energy Projects: This bill creates a Renewable and Alternative Energy Trust Fund to provide funding for renewable energy projects such as biomass, hydroelectric, clean coal, solar, wind, and geothermal by taking a portion of the revenue raised from new offshore oil and gas leasing.

The Locatable Mineral Royalty and Reclamation Act (H.R. 3201):

• Creates New Jobs By Increasing American Mineral Production: This bill updates the 1872 Mining Law by establishing a fair royalty rate and allowing for increased exploration and development of our domestic mineral resources. The minerals recovered in America’s mines are critical for infrastructure development, military equipment, and consumer products. A quarter-of-a-million people work directly in America’s mining industry, earning the highest wages of any industrial workers in the country.
• Protects the Environment by Cleaning Up America’s Abandoned mines: Directs revenue from the royalty, abandoned locatable mine fee and a portion of the claim maintenance fee will go towards a new ‘Abandoned Locatable Mine Reclamation Trust Fund’ to assist States, federal agencies and Indian Tribes clean-up abandoned mines that pose serious health and safety and environmental risks.

The Good Samaritan Bill (H.R. 3203):

• Protects the Environment by Promoting Voluntary Abandoned Mine Clean Up: This bill ensures that non-profits, municipalities or corporations that voluntarily work to clean up abandoned mine sites will not be held liable for the environmental impacts of the mine based on previous operations. These “Good Samaritans” will only be liable for the work they do on the mine, not the work that was done 100 years ago.

2009 Energy and Water Appropriations Act, Hastings Amendment to Expand Use of Clean, Renewable Hydropower:

• Protects the Environment by Installing New Hydropower Facilities: Hastings’ amendment ensures that the Bureau of Reclamation has the necessary resources to begin the installation of six new hydropower facilities in the West. By expanding the use of hydropower, we can produce low-cost energy and reduce carbon emissions. The National Hydropower Association estimates that more than 160 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions were avoided in the United States in 2004 because of hydropower generation.

The Protecting Investment in Oil shale the Next Generation of Environment, Energy, and Resource Security Act (H.R. 2540):

• Creates Jobs by Expanding Oil Shale Production: This bill codifies the oil shale lease program and restores leasing activities that were already underway prior to being halted in February 2009 by the current Administration. Developing our country’s oil shale will create new American jobs, boost our economy and provide us with a new source of domestic energy supply.