The CRUDE Coalition has adopted a fitting acronym as its name. The Washington D.C.-based coalition of Consumers & Refiners United for Domestic Energy was formed in 2014 in response to increased efforts to repeal restrictions on the export of domestic crude oil.
With the support of members including Alon USA, Monroe Energy, PBF Energy and Philadelphia Energy Solutions, Executive Director Jay Hauck said the CRUDE Coalition faces “a very well-funded lobbying campaign in Washington that seeks to repeal our longstanding energy independence law.”
Even though Hauck and his associates were not surprised by the U.S. House of Representatives members’ support of the export bill, they considered it “very big news” the White House has expressed opposition to its passage.
“Keeping U.S. crude in America certainly helps the refining sector in America,” Hauck reasoned. “It has been good for American consumers, businesses and our national security, and is the best way to ensure broad-based economic growth.”
Hauck said he believes nothing has a more pervasive effect on the economy than the price of oil.
“It is fundamental to our economy,” he said. “A lower price relative to the rest of the world helps keep our goods and services … competitive with the rest of the world. That creates and sustains far more jobs and economic growth than exporting U.S. crude ever could.”
The U.S. is far from achieving its longstanding policy goal of energy independence, Hauck said.
“America is producing a lot of crude oil but, believe it or not, we’re importing more foreign oil than we did 40 years ago when the ban was first enacted,” he observed. “We import 7 million barrels of foreign oil a day, including over 3 million per day from the Middle East. For every barrel of oil exported, that would mean one more barrel of oil we would have to import — increasing, not decreasing, our dependence on foreign producers. Exporting oil to places like China, while importing more oil from the Middle East, only undermines our national security.”
Hauck said the CRUDE Coalition is “fighting a war of attrition” to maintain restrictions on crude oil exports.
“If we can keep this piece of legislation from becoming law this year or next, that is a victory,” he said.
Recent nationwide polls indicate overwhelming support in keeping U.S. crude oil in America.
According to the organization’s website, broad-based, bipartisan voters express support for maintaining the export ban. Sixty-nine percent of voters in a December 2014 Hart poll oppose allowing crude exports to foreign countries. That includes 61 percent of Republicans, 69 percent of independents and 75 percent of Democrats. After hearing both sides of the debate, 7 in 10 voters preferred investing in refinery capacity at home to lifting restrictions on the export of domestic oil.
Hauck and his allies engage a lobbying team and use earned media, digital paid media and social media as various channels to help spread the word about the CRUDE Coalition’s ideals and goals.
“I think it’s remarkable that we have been able to hold our own against a very powerful lobby,” he said. “It’s been like David vs. Goliath.”
The CRUDE Coalition has been successful in providing information to the media to cover both sides of the story “and to enlist additional allies in our effort,” Hauck concluded. “I would welcome the opportunity to talk to representatives of industry or individual companies who share our view that present law should be maintained.”
For more information, visit www.crudecoalition.org or https://twitter.com/uscrude.
