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回答题Energy and Public Lands
The United States boasts substantial energy resources. Federal lands provide a good deal ofUS energy production, the U. S. Department of the Interior manages federal energy leasing ( 租赁) both on land and on the offshore Outer Continental Shelf Production from these sourcesamounts to nearly 30 percent of total annual US energy production.
In 2000, 32 percent of US oil, 35 percent of natural gas, and 37 percent of coal wereproduced from federal lands, representing 20, 000 producing oil and gas leases and 135producing coal leases. Federal lands are also estimated to contain approximately 68 percent of allundiscovered US oil reserves and 74 percent of undiscovered natural gas.
Revenues from federal oil, gas, and coal leasing provide significant returns to UStaxpayers as well as State Government. In 1999, for example, $ 553 million in oil and gasrevenues were paid to the US Treasury, and non-India coal leases accounted for over $ 304million in revenues, of which 50 percent were paid to State governments. Public lands also playa critical role in energy delivery. Each year, federal land managers authorize rights of way fortransmission lines, rail systems, pipelines, and other facilities related to energy production anduse.
Alternative energy production from federal lands falls behind conventional energyproduction, though the amount is still significant. For example, federal geothermal (地热)resources produce about 7. 5 billion kilowatt-hours (千瓦时) of electricity per year, 47percent of all electricity generated from US geothermal energy. There are 2, 960 wind turbineson public lands in California alone, producing electricity for about 300, 000 people. Federal hydropower facilities produce about 17 percent of all hydropower produced in the United States.Because of the growing US thirst for energy and increasing public unease with influence onforeign off sources, pressure on public lands to meet US energy demand is becoming moreintense. Public lands are available for energy development only after they have been evaluatedthrough the land use planning process. If development of energy resources conflicts withmanagement or use of other resources, development restrictions or impact moderation measuresmay be enforced, or mineral be banned altogether.
What is the main idea of this passage? A．Public lands are one of the main sources of revenues.
B．Public lands play an important role in energy production.
C．Public lands should be developed to ease energy shortage.
D．Public lands store huge energy resources for further development.
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