Committee Passes Kiggans’ Amendment to Protect Coastal Virginia

WASHINGTON, DC: Today, Congresswoman Jen Kiggans (VA-02) released the following statement after her Amendment to H.R. 1335, the Transparency, Accountability, Permitting and Production of (TAPP) American Resources Act, was passed by the House Committee on Natural Resources in a unanimous, bipartisan vote during its full committee markup.

TAPP pursues an all-of-the-above energy strategy, encourages domestic production, and fosters innovation by streamlining permitting processes and modernizing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1970. Congresswoman Kiggans’ Amendment ensures that the passage of H.R. 1335 does not affect any existing leasing moratoriums, including those in place off the coast of Virginia.

“Preserving Virginia’s coast and waterways is a top priority of mine,” said Congresswoman Kiggans. “My amendment ensures that this commonsense legislation will create jobs, lower costs, and unleash American energy production without harming our Commonwealth’s natural beauty. Over the last two years, skyrocketing energy prices have placed an enormous burden on families in my district and across the country. I was sent to Washington to deliver real results for Virginia’s Second District without compromising on our principles; the passage of my Amendment today allowed me to accomplish that goal.”

The full text of the bill may be found here.

Congresswoman Kiggans’ Amendment can be found here.

You can watch her remarks on her Amendment during the markup here.

BACKGROUND

In addition to the 2020 Virginia law that prohibits offshore oil and gas drilling leases, the Mid Atlantic Area – which encompasses the Atlantic coast from Delaware to North Carolina – was withdrawn from federal consideration for leasing until June 30, 2032. No offshore drilling has taken place in the region since the early 1980s, and no oil or gas has ever been extracted from the Atlantic coast.