I am a conservative who believes strongly in fiscal stewardship and the responsible management of America's natural resources. As a taxpayer, I find it infuriating that that we are being taken advantage of by basically being handed the bill that really belongs to the oil and gas companies. Oil and gas companies are abandoning their drilling sites and walking away from their clean-up obligation (which was a condition of their lease) and leaving taxpayers like me holding the bag. It is a chronic problem, with companies going out of business under one name to avoid their clean-up obligations, then popping up under a different name and starting the scam all over again. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that there are already more than 3.2 million abandoned wells nationwide. The fix for this is simple. We must require adequate bonding--based on actual clean-up and reclamation costs--as a condition of leasing our public lands. That is why I'm asking you to support legislation, such as S. 2177, introduced by Senators Bennet and Heinrich, and H.R.4346, introduced by Representative Lowenthal, that would significantly strengthen federal bonding rules and also provide funding to help clean-up existing orphaned wells on our federal public lands. It is ridiculously unfair for oil companies to get all the profit from drilling, renege on the terms of their lease, and leave us average American taxpayers stuck with the bill. Failing to act would be a clear signal that you are okay with this. Allowing private companies to offload their cost of doing business on to taxpayers and the U.S. Treasury is also fiscal malpractice. Our nation is already buried in a huge amount a debt, and failing to reform oil and gas bonding requirements will only cause that burden to fall more disproportionately on folks like me. Please support bonding reform legislation like S.2177 and H.R.4346, these bills represent a chance to finally hold oil and gas companies to their promises. Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to your response.

I am a conservative who believes strongly in fiscal stewardship and the responsible management of America's natural resources. As a taxpayer, I find it infuriating that that we are being taken advantage of by a federal oil and gas leasing system that amounts to little more than a special interest handout at taxpayer expense. Oil and gas companies are asked to pay the bare minimum in bonds and are asked to make a promise - based on their track record - we know they will not keep. This system is in dire need of reform. That is why I'm asking you to step up to plate and take action now. Congress can pass stand-along legislation introduced by Senators Bennet and Heinrich that would significantly strengthen federal bonding rules and also provide billions of dollars to clean-up orphaned wells. Taxpayers should not be the ones stuck with the bill. Protecting taxpayers from this unfair situation is important given the huge amount a debt we find ourselves buried in, and failing to change this will only cause that burden to fall more disproportionately on folks like me. Please support the Oil and Gas Bonding Reform and Orphaned Well Remediation Act, they represent a chance to finally bring accountability to oil and gas companies. Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to your response.

I am a conservative who believes strongly in fiscal stewardship and the responsible management of America's natural resources. As a taxpayer, I find it infuriating that that we are being taken advantage of by basically being handed the bill that really belongs to the oil and gas companies. Oil and gas companies are asked to pay the bare minimum in bonds and are asked to make a promise - based on their track record - we know they will not keep. This system is in dire need of reform. That is why I'm asking you to step up to plate and take action. You have the discretion and authority over the federal oil and gas program, including over reclamation activities. Please act and initiate a rule-making to raise the federal government’s minimum bond amounts, at least enough to ensure that any and all bonds will fully cover potential reclamation costs. Taxpayers should not be the ones stuck with the bill. Protecting taxpayers from this unfair situation is important given the huge amount a debt we find ourselves buried in, and failing to change this will only cause that burden to fall more disproportionately on folks like me. Please fix this by enacting fiscally responsible, common-sense reforms. Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to your response.

I am a conservative who believes strongly in fiscal stewardship and the responsible management of America's natural resources. As a taxpayer, I find it infuriating that that we are being taken advantage of by basically being handed the bill that really belongs to the oil and gas companies. Oil and gas companies are asked to pay the bare minimum in bonds and are asked to make a promise - based on their track record - we know they will not keep. This system is in dire need of reform. That is why I'm asking you to step up to plate and take action. You have the discretion and authority over the federal oil and gas program, including over reclamation activities. Please act and initiate a rule-making to raise the federal government’s minimum bond amounts, at least enough to ensure that any and all bonds will fully cover potential reclamation costs. Taxpayers should not be the ones stuck with the bill. Protecting taxpayers from this unfair situation is important given the huge amount a debt we find ourselves buried in, and failing to change this will only cause that burden to fall more disproportionately on folks like me. Please fix this by enacting fiscally responsible, common-sense reforms. Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to your response.