House Committees OK Gas Drilling

[soup]

By KEITH EPSTEIN [e-mail]

Published: Sep 29, 2005

WASHINGTON - Congress, opting to boost supplies rather than curb the nation's energy appetite, has moved a major step closer to allowing drilling in coastal waters from Florida to Virginia.

On Wednesday, two congressional committees agreed to measures that would lift bans on drilling for natural gas throughout the outer continental shelf that borders the United States, allow rigs on 4 million acres of Area 181 in the eastern Gulf of Mexico, boost oil-refining capacity and ease some air-pollution rules.

The rush to approve new sources of energy just weeks after back-to-back hurricanes squeezed the energy lifeline and sent gasoline prices soaring could lead to a vote in the full House within a week.
>snip<

A lunch-hour distraction -- the indictment of House Majority Leader Tom DeLay -- might have contributed to the passage of perhaps the most far-reaching provision, the amendment allowing natural gas drilling throughout the continental shelf.

Relatively few members of the resources committee were on hand for a voice vote. As others returned from lunch, "there was just a kind of shock in the room as they realized what had happened," said Jennifer Zuccarelli, a spokeswoman for committee chairman Richard Pombo.<
http://news.tbo.com/news/MGBPEPZF6EE.html

[Quakerfriend]

1. OMG! How can this be?

[soup]

2. I read this and saw the accompanying pic and

just cannot wrap my mind around the absurdity.


AP Photo
President Bush, aboard Marine One, toured an oil rig off the Louisiana coast on Tuesday. On Wednesday, Congress moved a step closer to opening more coastal areas to drilling.

---

Drilling ban's end called 'potential disaster'

By Larry Lipman

Palm Beach Post Washington Bureau

Wednesday, September 28, 2005

WASHINGTON — Millions of acres in the eastern Gulf of Mexico currently off limits to oil and gas drilling would be opened to such exploration under a bill approved Wednesday by a House committee.

The bill also would lift presidential moratoriums blocking drilling for natural gas in extensive areas of the Outer Continental Shelf, including Florida's Atlantic coast.>snip<

The House Resources Committee voted 27-16, largely along party lines, for the bill spurred by rising gasoline and natural gas prices in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The full House could consider the measure next week.

In addition to affecting Florida, the bill would immediately open the entire Outer Continental Shelf to natural gas drilling and would permit oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska.
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/politics/content/nation/epaper/2005/09/28/a3a_drilling_0928.html

[anotherdrew]

22. george bush likes to look

if he doesn't see it with his eyes it's not real.

[Dr Batsen D Belfry]

3. Isn't this a moot point?

They had articles out yesterday that said the number of oil rigs used for drilling was in short supply and now is in seriously short supply worldwide after Rita and Katrina. The article also said it would be 2008 at the earliest before new rigs were available.

I can't find the links, but I know they were posted on DU.

The Oil FOGopoly has about two more years to make record profits while they move the bottleneck from refining to drilling.

DBDB

[soup]

12. Maybe the headlines should read

Oil Rigs Wrecked by Hurricanes in Gulf Increases Demand for Oil Drilling in Gulf

Not even touching on the environmental ramifications. They really had a busy day in committee.

--

>>The House Energy and Commerce Committee, meanwhile, approved loosening Clean Air Act rules on refineries and offered incentives to encourage oil companies to build the nation's first refinery in nearly three decades.

"This entire bill is written for ExxonMobil," Massachusetts Democrat Edward Markey complained.

The resources committee measure would allow states to opt out of bans on drilling in the outer continental shelf and permit natural gas activity as close as 25 miles from shore, with oil rigs 50 miles out.

The energy industry has its immediate sights on Virginia and South Carolina, which have shown interest in drilling. The industry hopes that will lead to access off Florida and North Carolina.<<

[Dr Batsen D Belfry]

19. Missed my point

The article stated that rigs were in very short supply worldwide, and even in shorter supply since the two hurricanes went through the area.

Rigs are portable and are used for exploration. Once a resserve has been tapped by a rig, the rig is replaced by a platform and the rig is moved elsewhere.

Mu\y point is that even if drilling is approved, we don't have nearly enough rigs available until around 2008 according to "experts'. If true, how convenient that rigs will once again be available AFTER Bush and his cabal leaves office. This just creates a bottleneck before the refineries.

What is tuly sad is that it supposedly takes two years minimum to build an oil rig. This from a country that was building several airplanes a day in WWII. Perhaps the new rigs are being built using Intelligent Design.

DBDB

[soup]

21. Sorry, DBDB.

I'm having another in an ongoing series of very off days. Nothing is making much sense to me.

[losdiablosgato]

20. It takes less the 6 months to build a rig

[liberal N proud]

4. The are out to destroy every pristine vista this nation possesses

All in the name of getting their hands on the OIL

[Dover]

5. What are the rules about "voice" votes versus those recorded by name?

They have used the voice vote on ANY truly controversial issue pending. How can they get away with that?

[Lindsay]

6. They've been waiting for an excuse to do this.

They are evil.

[seafan]

7. Katrina/Rita are *the new oil harbor*.

Hurricanes=more drilling; 9-11=bomb Iraq; terrorists=Patriot Acts


Related thread on GOP stealth legislation to begin drilling off Florida:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=4920863&mesg_id=4920863

[Earth_First]

9. I was just about to make this connection...

Just as public support of the "Patriot Act" to make them feel safer was embraced by the fools in order to feel "safer", increased domestic exploration in order to keep gasoline below $3/gallon will surely have similar support by the same fools.

Pity.

[soup]

15. Thank you for the link to that discussion, seafan.

It's always good to have more information, even if it makes my head explode anew.

[seafan]

24. Y're welcome. Sorry to create a mess! n/t

[DeepModem Mom]

8. kick

[Skink]

10. See business as usual, they don't need Delay....

[soup]

16. They were all distracted by his indictment,

so we must forgive them. They know not what they do.

>>A lunch-hour distraction -- the indictment of House Majority Leader Tom DeLay -- might have contributed to the passage of perhaps the most far-reaching provision, the amendment allowing natural gas drilling throughout the continental shelf.

Relatively few members of the resources committee were on hand for a voice vote. As others returned from lunch, "there was just a kind of shock in the room as they realized what had happened," said Jennifer Zuccarelli, a spokeswoman for committee chairman Richard Pombo.<<

--

Their actions are truly understandable. Every time someone I know gets in trouble, I go out and randomly pick a puppy to kill. :crazy:

[Skink]

18. About now Roberts is being confirmed as Chief Justice....

might as well throw in Cox at the SEC, nobody's looking.

[all.of.me]

11. in the path of more hurricanes...

hello?! :crazy:

[Mika]

13. Big oil doesn't want more crude/gas to be made available anytime soon.

Why would they? Look at the prices and their profits. DUers have posted the secret memos outlining big oil's plan to reduce refining capacity ("Enroning" us).

This is just more stagecraft from BushCrimeInc.

[demo dutch]

14. Very bad!! Cedar Key Wild life Refuge is just north of Tampa

http://www.fws.gov/cedarkeys/

plus a thriving seafood industry!

[Javaman]

17. I guess this is what moron* was referring to when he meant conserve?

:shrug: :banghead:

[anotherdrew]

23. that oil and gas belongs to the American people! will we share in profits?

hmmm, only the iraqi's own their nations national resources I guess or the Alaskans. Ya know, if the Feds just took over all oil and gas production, refining and distribution, we could probably near eliminate taxes.