Democrats to let offshore drilling ban expire

[Freddie Stubbs]

Source: Associated Press

WASHINGTON - Democrats have decided to allow a quarter-century ban on drilling for oil off the Atlantic and Pacific coasts to expire next week, conceding defeat in an month-long battle with the White House and Republicans set off by $4 a gallon gasoline prices this summer.

Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey, D-Wis., told reporters Tuesday that a provision continuing the moratorium will be dropped this year from a stopgap spending bill to keep the government running after Congress recesses for the election.

Republicans have made lifting the ban a key campaign after gasoline prices spiked this summer and public opinion turned in favor of more drilling. President Bush lifted an executive ban on offshore drilling in July.

"If true, this capitulation by Democrats following months of Republican pressure is a big victory for Americans struggling with record gasoline prices," said House GOP leader John Boehner of Ohio.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080923/ap_on_go_co/offshore_drilling

[Richard D]

1. Aarrggghhhhh!

What is wrong with these people. Another see-out to big oil at the cost of our environment. Assholes.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

12. The compromise bill that would have relaxed drilling ban

but maintained some restrictions was panned...

Sounds like they were between a rock and a hard place. Dumbyass isn't going to sign anything that offers less than total decimation of the coast anyway.

Maybe we can sue baby, sue.

[LaPera]

2. And the Dems will cave in again on this trillion dollar Wall Street bail out!

Corporate fascism always wins out in the end!

[AnOhioan]

3. Democrats to let offshore drilling ban expire

Source: AP

WASHINGTON - Democrats have decided to allow a quarter-century ban on drilling for oil off the Atlantic and Pacific coasts to expire next week, conceding defeat in an month-long battle with the White House and Republicans set off by $4 a gallon gasoline prices this summer.


Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey, D-Wis., told reporters Tuesday that a provision continuing the moratorium will be dropped this year from a stopgap spending bill to keep the government running after Congress recesses for the election.

Republicans have made lifting the ban a key campaign after gasoline prices spiked this summer and public opinion turned in favor of more drilling. President Bush lifted an executive ban on offshore drilling in July.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/offshore_drilling

---

This annoys me to no end...a total capitulation to Big Oil.

[theophilus]

4. Could be bad, or could be savvy strategy.....

Nothing will be drilled for years and if we win enough extra seats, and the White House, we can slap on a new ban and actually make some progress in getting off the oil teat. I hope it works out that way.

[AnOhioan]

6. Good point, here is hoping that is the plan

[Plucketeer]

14. Not only that....

.... but since it'll be ages before we would SEE any oil production OR price relief, it'll be a great arguing point against the whole scheme in the first place. A year - 2 years - 4 years into drilling (should it actually come to pass) and the fact of NO benefit or price reduction due to it, can be a great example of GOP nonsense!

[Barack_America]

8. Yep. A small defeat endured towards a greater victory.

What will the Republicans say in 2010 and 2012 when this drilling has done jack shit for prices at the pump? What will Americans think about prioritizing alternative fuels then?

Unfortunately, offshore drilling must be allowed to fail before Americans truly get serious about a sensible energy plan, IMO.

[LaPera]

10. "IF" doesn't make "savvy" "IF"- is, helplessly hoping for the best. The Dems got

outsmarted, out-maneuvered, caved in and got their asses kicked again by BushCo, the republicans, the corporations and polluters who will again get exactly what they wanted.

Watch and see the same will occur with the bailout! All tough talk by the Dems right now....corporations will get that trillion plus dollar bail out (including Bear Sterns & the Mac's) with little or no oversight....

[iamjoy]

5. This Truly Angers Me

Without the ban, the oil companies will be able to drill in sight of our beaches. I guess I better go while I still can enjoy a clear view and clean sand.

Oh well. Maybe the lights of the offshore rigs will help the sea turtles.

It's very frustrating - I don't understand why Democrats won't fight.

[Tempest]

7. They can't drill without the state's approval

And they won't be getting that anytime soon.

[illflem]

9. Agreed, Calif will never let them drill offshore

Dipstick/Lipstick '08

[iamjoy]

13. Crist May Allow It

Oh, when he ran for governor of Florida he pledged to protect our beaches and fight offshore drilling, but over the summer he changed his position. Of course, that could have been an attempt to kiss up to McSame in hopes of being picked as a running mate and now that being VP is not an option, he could revert back to his campaign position.

[Sixty_cycle_humm]

25. The ban on west coast Florida drilling

is a separate ban in place, it is 150 miles and won't change when this expires.

[dipsydoodle]

19. I'm remote from all this

but it would seem to me that the enthusiasm for offshore drilling lies within states with no coast line i.e. wholly unaffected by environmental or any other issues. The opposite may of course apply with regard to oil shale extraction by inland states with coast line. In other words the key to this IMHO is remoteness.

[blueclown]

11. The spineless Dems lose another battle to a lame duck.

[jpak]

15. Boehner is a dumbass - new oil production from the US OCS would satisfy only 1% of US demand

200,000 barrels per day of new productiion vs. 20 million barrels per day of US oil demand.

Big Whoop

:rofl:

[rcsl1998]

16. Will Dems Ever Learn How To Frame Properly???

I am so sick of inane bumpersticker phrases by the right wing and the endless echo chamber loop that they're repeated in - One part of Newton's Law is 'for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction' - This could translate to politics, but not the current Dems. Drill Baby Drill? We have no answer to THAT?!? Unbelievable!

[Zhade]

17. Fucking quislings.

NT!

[Nihil]

20. Agreed. One would have thought that the party would at least ...

... *try* to show some moral integrity & political strength
when it is this close to the election ...

Sad. :-(

[DeepModem Mom]

18. MR

[Kip Humphrey]

21. Net effect: I win, you lose!

What will be the effect of this? Given recent history whereby cost of offshore development has skyrocketed 100% in the last 2 years, the cost of offshore oil production development (i.e., drilling) overall will likely double again as mucho dollars and demand chase already constrained services, resources, and engineered equipment.

The very earliest one might expect to see oil and gas flow from new East & West Coast wells is 7 years and, given the shortage in development resources, will most likely be closer to 10 years. Meanwhile, as one of a very few deepwater project controls engineers, I fully expect a nice big, fat raise out of this. Unfortunately, since the production cost impact will be felt across all open water development worldwide and, in particular, the Gulf of Mexico, expect the price at the pump to rise without significant production increases for 7-10 years. Thank you, Congress!

[Rancid Crabtree]

22. When the price at the pump

When the price at the pump is at mind-boggling amounts, the idea that any political party would hinder any effort to make life easier for everyone seems like a no-brainer. I don't know about the 7 years, but I heard some talking head say product could be available earlier than that--what product he was talking about I don't know--natural gas maybe? Read an article here about a guy filling his tank at a pump in Argentina--said the cost of NG is 70% less than gasoline and with 20% fewer emissions. I know they've used directional drilling under the Great Lakes--and I believe there's some kind of moratorium on there, as well, possibly for new wells.
Any talk of tax relief doesn't sound believable, what with a debt and a bailout on top of that. But we're still saddled with high pump prices and winter is coming. Personally, I think we're all being jerked around. Why provide a less expensive product when dollars can be made the old-fashioned way--by charging as much as possible as often as possible for as long as possible?

[Kip Humphrey]

33. I'm sure any talking head knows more about how long it will take for East/West offshore oil/gas to

come to market than I. How would I know? I just manage 10 deepwater production development schedules for deep water projects ongoming in the Gulf of Mexico.

The oil majors indeed do want to drill off east/west coasts, but not for your or my self interest. They want to supply their east/west coast refineries directly via pipeline from producing fields offshore from those refineries. Why? It is more profitable. Supply will continue to lag demand, propping up the price of oil. So, in 7-10 years it will look much the same as it does now.

What's needed now, as it was needed in the '70s, is a 10 year "Race to Hydrogen" similar to JFK's race to the moon. Had we pursued such in the '80s, perhaps we would not be in a global climate crisis today. We can't afford to miss this opportunity to rid ourselves of this global hydrocarbon-based economy. Our climate crisis demands it. Pursuing short-term price-reduction schemes, like oil soaked pacifiers, they will only bury the global urgency to transition our world from from hydrocarbons to hydrogen in favor of short-term, short-sighted cheaper fuel. I can assure you, if we continue down the hydrocarbon road such that in 7-10 years we need that East/West coast flow of oil, we will at that time already be doomed to a runaway climate crisis. We must begin the transition from hydrocarbons to hydrogen now. Not in 2050, 2040, 2030, 2020, or 2010. NOW.

By the way, the oil majors have known for nearly 40 years that hydrogen would replace fossil fuels. In the early '70s, the Seven Sisters met in Geneva and agreed to complete the transition to hydrogen in 2050, once they have depleted expected world oil reserves. The Majors already have hydrogen fuel divisions in place (since the '90s).

One final note: hydrogens be produced right now (via electrolysis) using renewable technologies (wind, solar, wave, tidal, geothermal) ...no hydrocarbons required.

[ShortnFiery]

23. How disgusting. Our Country is continuing to morph into a right wing duopoly. :( eom

[Vinca]

24. Maybe this is good - call their bluff. If big oil isn't drilling on the millions

of acres it already has leases on, why would they drill in new places? The only reason the oil companies want access is because they can put a giant asset in their column which is a lure for investors. Republicans are incredibly gullible. I'd love Boner to tell us exactly when we can expect gas prices to go down as a result of this and how much.

[NoodleyAppendage]

26. So, WISCONSIN VOTERS time to step up to the plate when it's time and VOTE OBEY OUT OF OFFICE.

WE MUST stop rewarding these DINO/wimp, worthless Dems, who FAIL stand for what we believe in. Fuck 'em. Vote the asshole out of office.

J

[Freddie Stubbs]

28. Perhaps offshore drilling is not such a hot-button issue for Wisconsin voters

[NoodleyAppendage]

31. Standing up to Repuke Pressure and Fascist Tactics Should be Hot-Button for ALL DEMS. n/t

J

[Blue_Tires]

27. ugh...

[Gold Metal Flake]

29. So, how long does it take to build an offshore platform and then secure it in place?

A week? A month? 10 years?

Is it easier to drive to a drilling site or swim there?

They can drill on 68 million acres. Much of that is on land. Are the drilling on these leases? Rushing out to poke holes? No.

This was Republicult bullshit all along. Now, it's a non-issue for the election. Next year, the restrictions will be renewed.

[BarbaRosa]

30. So, starting right now, we need

to ask -and ask repeatedly- why gas is still over $3.00, now that the off shore ban has been lifted. They said lift the ban, and cheap gas. I haven't seen it.

[flvegan]

32. Tell me again how "Dems" control Congress?