HOBBS, NM — “Number one, on federal lands, the permitting process to actually drill and get oil or gas is extraordinarily slow. Interestingly on state lands and private lands, state regulators have streamlined their permitting process, their evaluation, environmental process, safety processes. They found a way because we compete – states do – with one another. They found a way to do a job in a more efficient way.
“For instance, in North Dakota, it takes 10 days to get a permit for a new well. In Colorado, it takes 27 days. That’s to get on state land a permit or private land. But you know how long it takes the federal government regulators to get your permit on federal land? On average, 307 days.
“So here’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to have the states take responsibility for the permitting process on federal lands. Of course, the process is going to have to be reviewed and approved by the federal government. It’s going to be overseen and monitored. But we’re going to have state regulators – not just regulate oil production, gas production on state lands and private lands but also on federal lands, and that will improve the creation of new oil wells, new gas wells, and get more production to the people that need it.”
— Gov. Mitt Romney, speech, Watson Truck & Supply Co., Aug. 23, 2012
