Drilling for oil here can be daunting

To the editor:

Royal Dutch Shell’s recent setbacks in drilling in Alaska’s Arctic illustrate what we in this state know — drilling for and transporting oil here can be a daunting and expensive task.

Unfortunately, there are some in our nation’s capital who don’t seem to understand. For example, the administration has two proposals on the table that would raise taxes on energy companies, which would hurt states like Alaska that are key to providing the domestic energy our nation needs.

One example is a drive to deny energy companies the tax credit they, and all other manufacturers, can get for creating new energy jobs. I can’t think of a worse time for such a move. Another would tax American energy companies twice for the revenues they generate overseas. These measures would substantially constrain our energy companies as they compete worldwide, but that’s not all the harm they would do.

New and increased energy taxes would raise the prices everyone in this country pays for energy.

Even worse, raising taxes on these companies would hurt a state like Alaska that relies heavily on oil revenues. I hope our elected officials are standing strong for our state in Washington, D.C., and fighting these energy tax increases.

Verne E. Rupright

City of Wasilla mayor