Thirty-six members of the U.S. Senate today sent a letter to Interior Sec. Ryan Zinke urging him to “carefully review” areas not included in the 2017-2022 OCS Oil and Gas Leasing Program “to ensure that opportunities are not missed,” adding that the development of the new 2019-2024 program will “provide a meaningful review to guarantee that the offshore leasing program contributes to U.S. Energy dominance and to ensure some of the most prolific regions of the United Sates have not been arbitrarily excluded from competitive leasing.”

The letter also notes that offshore development “has undergone rapid technological innovation ensuring it is cheaper, safer, and provides access to previously out-of-reach areas” and cites the economic, fiscal, and consumer benefits of offshore leasing and the need to “start today to make sure that the United States is planning for the future to maintain its steady and stable supply of production.”