Bingaman clashes with Republicans on oil industry fees

And moments after Bingaman’s comments, the push for higher fees drew quick pushback from Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), the committee’s top Republican.

She said that amid the turmoil in North Africa and the Middle East, there is “little if any patience for any delays in bringing back our American energy production.”

Interior is seeking $358 million for its Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement, a 50 percent increase above fiscal year 2010 levels for offshore regulation.

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, in testimony to the Senate committee Wednesday, touted the push for higher fees to help fund expanded oversight.

“The budget proposes to increase fees for offshore oil and gas inspections from $10 million in the 2010 enacted budget to $65 million in 2012. These fee collections incorporate a more robust inspection program and expand the scope of offshore inspection fees to include offshore drilling rigs, given the need for greater scrutiny of drilling operations as a core component of deepwater oil and gas development,” his prepared testimony states.