Most Westerners appreciate that energy development creates jobs beyond its own industry and funds critical local and state programs such as education, public safety, conservation and infrastructure projects. Despite serving as the backbone of the Western economy, the oil and natural gas industry continues to face hostile government policies that undermine the West's potential to grow.

According to the Western Energy Alliance's Blueprint for Western Energy Prosperity, by 2020 the West will produce as much oil and natural gas on a daily basis as the U.S. imports from Russia, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, Algeria, Nigeria and Colombia, combined. Our study concludes that if government red tape doesn't stand in the way, oil and natural gas producers in the West are poised to put 70,000 more Americans to work and spark more than $58 billion in investment, all the while making our country less dependent on foreign energy.

President Obama's continued pledge to reduce regulations on American small businesses makes for a nice sound bite, but the reality is that his own administration's misguided policies are making energy development in the West increasingly difficult, time-consuming and cost prohibitive. This