Houston partner John English and Washington, D.C., partner Allen Littman co-authored an article, "Energy Provisions in President Obama’s First Budget," which was published in the July 2009 edition of the American Bar Association's Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources' Energy Committees Newsletter.
According to English and Littman, "the Budget includes a number of revenue-raising proposals, including new or increased taxes targeted at the oil and gas sector, as well as energy-related spending proposals. While the administration justifies these proposals on the grounds of climate change, many of the proposals appear to be at cross purposes with the goal of U.S. energy independence."
The article goes on to describe these controversial taxing proposals and touches on some energy spending proposals, including:
English and Littman conclude: "This Budget proposal has garnered a great deal of attention since the day it was first announced. Given the comments made by various industry and political groups, the continuing doldrums in the national economy, and the administration’s acknowledgment of the need to wean this nation from its dependence on foreign oil, it will be interesting to watch Congress and the president deal with the competing national issues as this Budget moves toward adoption."
To view the full article from the ABA website, please click here. English and Littman's article begins on page 9.