Conservatives for Responsible Stewardship President David Jenkins examines the “drill, baby, drill” slogan and why it doesn’t fully reflect today’s energy and economic realities. While often used to argue for expanded fossil fuel production, the issue is more complex, shaped by global markets, infrastructure limits, and changing energy demand. The op-ed also highlights the growing role of cleaner, competitive energy sources and why long-term energy security requires practical, forward-looking solutions rather than slogans. Read more here:...
Conservatives for Responsible Stewardship is featured in a Kiowa County Press report examining concerns over a proposed rollback of federal oil and gas bonding rules managed by the Bureau of Land Management. The article explains that current bonding requirements are meant to ensure energy companies set aside enough money to properly plug wells and restore drilling sites once production ends. Without strong bonding rules, cleanup costs from abandoned or “orphaned” wells can fall to taxpayers instead of industry. CRS raises concerns that weakening these requirements could significantly increase public liability for cleanup, with estimates in the report suggesting potential taxpayer exposure in the hundreds of billions over time. The coverage highlights ongoing debate over how to balance energy development on public lands with long-term environmental and financial responsibility. Read the full article here:...
Conservatives for Responsible Stewardship is featured in a report from Aspen Public Radio covering concerns about a proposed federal policy change involving oil and gas development on public lands. The piece focuses on a proposed rollback of a Bureau of Land Management rule that requires energy companies to set aside funds to properly clean up wells and restore drilling sites after production ends. CRS warns that weakening those requirements could shift significant cleanup costs onto taxpayers, with potential liabilities reaching into the billions. The discussion highlights a broader issue in public lands management: ensuring companies, rather than taxpayers, are responsible for plugging abandoned wells and restoring impacted land. Read the full article here:...
The Trump Administration’s Plan to Roll Back Oil and Gas Bonding Requirements Will Cost Taxpayers Billions, New Analysis Shows Lowering Bond Amounts Will Risk Leaving Taxpayers on the Hook to Pay Billions to Clean Up Industry’s Abandoned Oil and Gas Wells on National Public Lands. Open...
David Jenkins, president of Conservatives for Responsible Stewardship, is featured in an op-ed published in The Invading Sea titled Here’s why FPL, Duke and TECO want the Public Service Commission to raise your power bills. The piece looks at a request from Florida’s largest utilities asking state regulators to approve higher electricity rates. It explains how companies like Florida Power & Light, Duke Energy, and Tampa Electric rely heavily on natural gas and other fossil fuels, which are tied to volatile global markets. When fuel prices rise, those costs are passed directly through to customers’ monthly bills. The op-ed also points to the role of aging power plants and long-term infrastructure costs, which utilities recover through rate increases approved by the Public Service Commission. The result, according to the piece, is that many of these underlying costs ultimately show up in what households pay each month for electricity. Read the full op-ed here:...
