Jeff Bingaman United States Senator from New Mexico

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today said he is pleased the Bush administration has announced it will begin new 5-year offshore oil and gas program that could result in the acceleration of leasing in the Central and Western Gulf of Mexico, and in the study of areas already available for leasing but not included in the current 5-year plan.

Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne made the announcement today, a week after Bingaman introduced a proposal to encourage leasing in areas of the Outer Continental Shelf that are already open for production.  

"This is very good news.  More than two-thirds of the Outer Continental Shelf is available for production, and it makes sense for us to focus on offering leases in those areas," said Bingaman, chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.  

Bingaman introduced his proposal as part of the debate on legislation to reduce speculation in the oil market, but it has not been fully debated because the speculation bill is being filibustered.