2004 Adopted Resolutions
72nd Annual Meeting
Boston

return to table of contents

PROMOTING DOMESTIC SOURCES OF ENERGY FOR AMERICA

     WHEREAS, the United States is currently importing more than 55 percent of the petroleum our nation uses, forcing Americans to suffer from huge spikes in the price of international oil and gas; and

     WHEREAS, the nation's dependence on imported oil results in the purchase of much of that oil from nations whose foreign policy aims and human rights standards do not coincide with those of the United States; and

     WHEREAS, dependence on foreign energy sources has threatened national security and put our military forces in harm's way in order to ensure that energy supplies are not disrupted; and

     WHEREAS, there is high potential for oil and gas development in North America and especially Alaska, where 30 trillion cubic feet of proven reserves of natural gas are currently on the North Slope, and vast unproven reserves exist throughout Alaska; and

     WHEREAS, construction of a 2,000-mile, 52-inch-diameter Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline would create thousands of good-paying jobs for American workers and fire American steel mills with the 6 million tons of steel necessary to build this pipeline; and

WHEREAS, an Alaska gas pipeline would deliver 4.5 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day to American homes and factories, almost 7 percent of domestic gas consumption at current rates, and

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that The United States Conference of Mayors recognizes the importance of fueling America’s economic engine through a steady supply of inexpensive energy such as that which could be provided by Alaska; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that The United States Conference of Mayors endorse, pending completion of appropriate environmental review, a project to bring Alaska gas to market and that any such project must ensure full pipeline safety to protect the public and environment; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that The United States Conference of Mayors strongly encourages the U.S. Congress to pass legislation providing incentives for construction of an Alaska natural gas pipeline, whose construction costs are estimated at $20 billion.