API plans citizen rallies on economy, jobs

Aug. 18, 2010
The American Petroleum Institute will hold citizen rallies in five states with other organizations, including several from outside the oil and gas industry, to discuss jobs and the US economic recovery, API Pres. Jack N. Gerard announced.

Nick Snow
OGJ Washington Editor

WASHINGTON, DC, Aug. 18 -- The American Petroleum Institute will hold citizen rallies in five states with other organizations, including several from outside the oil and gas industry, to discuss jobs and the US economic recovery, API Pres. Jack N. Gerard announced. There will be simultaneous events in Texas in Houston, Corpus Christi, and Beaumont on Sept. 1, followed by rallies in Colorado, New Mexico, Ohio, and Illinois, he said.

“Surveys show that these are the two main issues on people’s minds,” he said in an Aug. 17 teleconference, adding, “The American people want to know that their government is working on constructive solutions. We don’t think that’s necessarily happening.”

Gerard said the sites were chosen on the basis of limited time and diversity, and not necessarily because of upcoming elections in November. The US oil and gas industry employs 9.2 million people and represents 7.2% of total US gross domestic product, he noted, adding, “With the right public policies, the oil and gas industry could employ even more people.”

He told reporters the rallies will be supported by print and broadcast advertising but would not divulge how much money API plans to spend. “It’s not about the money; it’s about the message. We think what small investment will be made here will be appropriate for getting [government policies] back on track,” he maintained.

Gerard conceded the Macondo blowout in the Gulf of Mexico hurt the industry’s public image, but added that groups intent on eliminating or severely restricting US production are using the event to advance their own agendas. A Wall Street Journal/NBC poll last week found 57% support for continued oil and gas activity offshore, and a poll by API last month of voters in 10 states indicated opposition to new energy taxes is running 2-to-1, he said.

API anticipates that trade associations representing independent producers, refiners, drilling contractors, service and supply companies, and geologists and geophysicists also will be at the rallies, Gerard said. “More important are the more than 300 groups from other industries which joined us last year. Energy plays a critical role in the jobs and economic debate because it underpins so much of that activity,” he said.

He noted that API clearly is doing more public outreach than it has historically. “We believe a healthy and well informed public will contribute more to good public policy,” said Gerard. “We have stepped forward; we’re responding to the issues of the day.”

Contact Nick Snow at [email protected].