Utah Lawmakers Discuss Energy with Hatch, Bishop

Aug 20, 2008 by Elizabeth Ziegler

(KCPW News) Utah lawmakers called for a solution to the energy crisis in a committee meeting this morning. State Representative Roger Barrus thinks Utah is poised to take a leading role in solving the nation's problems. But he says there's one formidable roadblock -- the federal government.

"We feel that the federal barrier is caused primarily by the inability of Congress to advance a workable energy policy that advocates development of all our nation's energy resources," said Barrus.

Barrus and his colleagues on the Natural Resources Interim Committee questioned U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch and Congressman Rob Bishop on Wednesday about federal policies they say are stifling energy development here. Hatch blamed the Democratic leadership in Congress and their "anti-oil" liberal views.

Bishop said the energy crisis has grabbed the attention of lawmakers at the nation's capital like no other issue he's seen over the six years he's been in office. Both he and Hatch praised voters for putting pressure on Congress to solve the problem. And Bishop urged state lawmakers to turn on the pressure as well.

"Right now is this window of opportunity as everyone is feeling the pain of higher energy costs that all of a sudden my good friends in New England and New Jersey, who have traditionally voted against everything that Utah wants, are now looking at it in a total new light," said Bishop. "Now they're realizing that some of those votes have caused their constituents pain and they're ready to make different decisions. So push us, push us as best you can."

Bishop urged lawmakers to send letters to all the members of Congress, telling them to open the west's public lands to energy development. He says Utah's delegation is already working toward that goal.

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