Interior Secretary Ken Salazar to Speak at National Press Club Luncheon April 24

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Apr 06, 2012, 04:59 ET

WASHINGTON, April 6, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Department of the Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, who oversees energy development on the nation's public lands and oceans, will speak to a National Press Club luncheon on Tuesday, April 24. Salazar is expected to discuss gas prices, offshore drilling, domestic energy development and other energy-related issues.

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With gasoline prices approaching $4 a gallon in much of the country, the Obama administration is under pressure to boost U.S. oil production. The Interior Department has just announced a plan to streamline permitting of land-based drilling permits, and last month, Salazar moved a step closer to allowing seismic-mapping surveys off the Atlantic coast to determine what oil and gas and other resources exist in that area.

Even with these efforts, Interior remains under fire from all sides. Republicans criticize the Department for not approving new drilling fast enough while environmentalists, citing the massive 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill, oppose drilling in the Atlantic Ocean.

In his remarks, Secretary Salazar will address the Obama administration's approach to investing in American energy – including the expansion of domestic oil and gas production and development of renewable and alternative energy sources.

In addition to offshore oil drilling, Salazar's Interior Department oversees the National Park system, water management issues in the West, and the conservation of wildlife through the Fish and Wildlife Service, among other issues.

The Press Club luncheon will begin promptly at 12:30 p.m. Remarks will begin at 1:00 p.m., followed by a question-and-answer session, ending at 2 p.m. Advance reservations should be made through (202) 662-7501 or [email protected]. The cost of luncheon admission is $19 for National Press Club members, $30 for their guests, and $37 for the general public. Tickets must be purchased at time of reservation.

National Press Club Luncheons are webcast live on press.org. Follow the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #NPCLunch, or on Facebook at (facebook.com/PressClubDC) and Twitter (@PressClubDC). Submit questions for speakers in advance and during the live event by sending them to @QNPCLunch on Twitter. Or email a question in advance, type SALAZAR in the subject line and send to [email protected] before 10 a.m. on the day of event.

The Press Club is on the 13th floor, 529 14th Street, NW, Washington, D.C. Credentialed press may cover this event.

About the National Press Club:
The National Press Club is the world's leading professional organization for journalists with more than 3,400 members worldwide representing every major news organization. More than 250,000 people visit the Club each year to attend more than 2,000 events. The Club was founded in 1908 and is on the web at press.org.

SOURCE National Press Club