Today, Mayor Duckett was a part of a select group of national experts and players in the energy industry invited to participate in the Department of Energy 2020 Natural Gas Summit. Federal Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette and director of the National Economic Council of the United States, Larry Kudlow, hosted this timely summit this morning (9/17/20). Seeking input from those integral to the energy landscape across the nation, Mayor Duckett provided insight into the impacts of further retraction of natural gas exploration and inquired about what the DOE is doing to assist with infrastructure to get our resources to market.
“It is crucial that the United States government support the development of markets domestically and internationally for natural gas. America boasts the best environmental standards for the extraction and transportation of natural gas in the world making it safer and cleaner for American producers to deliver this vital resource to markets versus other countries. The economic and service based jobs associated with this industry keep America’s lights on, our families fed, and help fund the critical services provided by our cities and counties. As the mayor of a city whose streets, parks, and utility infrastructure has been built by a tax base enhanced by the investment of energy companies and their employees, we need to continue to work together to promote education about the benefits and uses of natural gas, the economic impact of its development on federal lands in places like New Mexico where private property is limited, and the win-win-win scenarios created for our environment, our electric grids, and our communities," Mayor Duckett.