Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.), in response to the latest Department of Energy budget request which again "zeroes out" all research and development related to natural gas, and proposes repealing $50 million in guaranteed funding outside the regular budget for onshore natural gas exploration:
"This administration has a real blind spot when it comes to developing new domestic natural gas resources. The gas that is most available to the consumers who need it is located onshore, and the key players in developing it are independent oil and gas producers. They aren't big enough to have R&D departments that undertake the research needed to keep our natural gas supplies robust.
"If DOE walks away from the R&D needed to keep natural gas flowing in an economic and environmentally responsible manner, then consumers will pay through higher prices and working families will pay through loss of manufacturing jobs that depend on natural gas. This is another short-sighted decision that I hope the Congress reverses."