Increased offshore drilling will produce many economic benefits, with lower fuel costs being a significant factor.  For six years, I was a school bus driver before assuming the role of school bus coordinator for 11 years.  Planning bus routes was one of my many duties.  Recently, I began driving a school bus again, along with my husband, and we find the career to be very rewarding.  As you may or may not know, Virginia school buses run on diesel fuel, which is very expensive.  With your support of offshore drilling, we can begin to produce our own fuel at a much cheaper cost.  This will save the state and federal government a lot of money as I understand that most of the school bus gas budget is provided from the federal government.

Home energy costs will also likely decrease, which will improve the quality of life for everyone.  Natural gas is not available in my neighborhood, so we use electricity for our heating, cooling and cooking needs.  Prices have continued to rise over the years, but they do not seem as bad as I experienced when I lived in Chicago for five years.  Although I grew up in Virginia, I lived in Chicago briefly before coming back home about 12 years ago.  Heating rates in Chicago were high because of the cold climate.  Therefore, when we moved back to Virginia, the living costs seemed much more reasonable.

In closing, I ask that you consider the many economic benefits of increased offshore oil and gas drilling.  Countless jobs will be created, and our country will be taking the necessary steps to reduce an unhealthy reliance on unfriendly countries.  Thank you for your time and support of this important matter.

Jean Nelson