Offshore Drilling Ban Will Be Lifted

[UNTflyer]

WASHINGTON - House Democrats will allow a quarter-century ban on drilling for oil off the Atlantic and Pacific coasts to expire next week.

Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey is telling reporters that language continuing the moratorium will be omitted this year from a spending bill to keep the government in operating funds after Congress recesses for the election. Republicans have made lifting the ban a key campaign after gasoline prices soared beyond $4 a gallon this summer and public opinion turned in favor of more drilling. President Bush lifted an executive ban on offshore drilling in July.

The Interior Department estimates there are 18 billion barrels of recoverable oil beneath coastal waters now off-limits.

[Bryan316]

Feel free to post the whole AP article next time. And here's an article that outlines what the bill calls for and the stipulations & incentives related to it. It's not the Democrats caving to Republican pressure, it's them helping the American citizen "now" with an increased supply while potentially reducing our dependence on foreign oil and promoting the development of more effective and efficient alternative energies.

[meangreendork]

Yay, awesome.

[UNTFan23]

Of course, if a Democrat is elected president ...

[JesseMartin]

...then they still won't be a legislator. It makes me laugh how much people are always getting so ahead of things regarding presidential preferences. A president can have any stance or idea they want, but they still need Congress on board. Even if they make an executive order, Congress can override them.

[meangreendork]

...then they'll let the drilling progress continue. Don't be foolish - any smart plan for energy will open up the Strategic Oil Reserve (swapping out the light for heavy oil) as well as making use of shale formations, unused oil leases, and the Alaska Petroleum Reserve.

To keep the drilling ban is a stupid idea since it's still a good ways until we get a good supply of any of the alternative fuel sources to go mass-market. Besides, I like the idea of a $1000 energy rebate to the average American.

Edited September 24, 2008 by meangreendork

[untbowler]

To keep the drilling ban is a stupid idea since it's still a good ways until we get a good supply of any of the alternative fuel sources to go mass-market. Besides, I like the idea of a $1000 energy rebate to the average American.

Why do we deserve a $1000 rebate taken from a legitimate business, considering the Government makes a higher profit for doing nothing but regulating?

What do you consider Average American? $50K a year, $30k a year??

[JesseMartin]

When last I checked, median household income was about $74K.

[greenminer]

When last I checked, median household income was about $74K.

What the?

Wh..

Did I miss a train? I feel like dogshit now.

[FirefightnRick]

It's not the Democrats caving to Republican pressure, it's them helping the American citizen "now" with an increased supply while potentially reducing our dependence on foreign oil and promoting the development of more effective and efficient alternative energies.

Oooooooh, I see. Then I wonder why the AP even bothered putting this in the first paragraph?

Democrats.......conceding defeat in an month-long battle with the White House and Republicans set off by $4 a gallon gasoline prices this summer.

I don't suppose the increasing popularity of the idea of lifting the ban nationwide had anything to do with it?

Rick

[emmitt01]

Oooooooh, I see. Then I wonder why the AP even bothered putting this in the first paragraph?

I don't suppose the increasing popularity of the idea of lifting the ban nationwide had anything to do with it?

Rick

Damn those democrats. Evil, just evil I tell ya.