BOWLING GREEN — Congressman Bob Latta has introduced legislation that would allow for more domestic production of oil and natural gas to counter rising gasoline prices — even as the price of fuel appears to have spiked.
The Bowling Green Republican, whose congressional district includes all or parts of 16 northwest Ohio counties, said his bill would tackle high fuel prices by making the nation more self-reliant when it comes to energy.
The bill would repeal President Obama’s moratorium on oil exploration and development in the outer continental shelf and open up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for oil production.
It also streamlines leasing regulations, repeals a $4,000 fee on new applications for drilling permits, and tamps down on lawsuits that Mr. Latta says are “frivolous litigation.”
And it would encourage access to petroleum found in shale and tar sands.
Mr. Latta unveiled the legislation in a news conference Monday in front of the Wood County Historical Museum at Bowling Green which features a display of an oil derrick of a kind that was widely used at one time in northwest Ohio.
Mr. Latta said the bill, which he called the Consumer Relief for Pain at the Pump Act, has 33 co-sponsors in the House.
Last week, Democratic U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur of Toledo called on House Republicans, who are now in the majority, to allow a vote on President Obama’s proposal to end $4 billion in oil-industry tax benefits.
While acknowledging that reducing the oil and gas companies’ tax deductions would be unlikely to reduce retail gasoline prices, Miss Kaptur said the additional revenue could be used to reduce the national deficit or could be paid out in what she called a “consumer refund.”
President Obama has proposed using the funds for alternative-energy programs.
Mr. Latta said repeal of tax credits for oil companies would be passed along to consumers in the form of higher prices at the pump.
One week ago, according to the Web site gasbuddy.com, gasoline in Toledo cost $4.16 a gallon, on average. On Monday, the average price of regular gasoline in Toledo was $3.97 a gallon, and falling.
First Published May 9, 2011, 4:19 p.m.
