U.S. Sen. David Vitter (R-La.), top Republican on the Environment and Public Works Committee, made the following statement regarding the announcement of Abigail Hopper to be Director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) within the Department of the Interior.
"Naming Ms. Hopper to take over the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management concerns me greatly. There is so much untapped potential off our shores, and I fear that Ms. Hopper's far-left environmental background will slow down offshore production and further limit access to fossil resources - hurting jobs and businesses," said Vitter. "Those of us in the Gulf Coast, especially in Louisiana, recognize the huge economic impact that energy production has on our communities, and I encourage Ms. Hopper to step into her new role without using politics as her guide and take the time to learn the actual economics of offshore wind."
Hopper has previously served as Director of the Maryland Energy Administration under Governor Martin O'Malley.
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