US doesn't rule out pause in offshore drilling

[sabra]

Source: Reuters

WASHINGTON, April 29 (Reuters) - A U.S. Interior Department official on Thursday would not rule out a pause in new deepwater oil drilling until oil companies can demonstrate they are able to control spills.

"Everything is on the table," Deputy Interior Secretary David Hayes said at a White House briefing on what the government is doing to handle the widening oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico caused by an oil rig explosion last week.

Hayes said it could take 90 days to install a relief valve to stop the oil leak. The Obama administration says 5,000 barrels a day may be leaking from a deep-sea oil well following the rig explosion. (Reporting by Tom Doggett and Ross Colvin; Editing by Doina Chiacu)

Read more: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N29143507.htm

[ShortnFiery]

1. Oh my stars! What a surprise?

:eyes:

[babylonsister]

2. Good. It's heartening to know this admin might learn and adjust vs.

just plowing ahead.

[avaistheone1]

3. Like this possibility was an unknown?

Major Duh!

[babylonsister]

6. No, it wasn't, but their willingness to change course is something

we haven't witnessed in any admin in a very long time. So I'm welcoming it.

[proudohioan]

4. Which is exactly what Dubya would have done!

This news was heartening to me as well.

[FrenchieCat]

5. Perspective on offshore drilling to date......

and why it would be easy for this administration to "rethink" at things as they now stand:

Americans favor offshore drilling
CNNMoney.com - 23rd Feb 2010

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- As the nation struggles to meet its energy needs, a majority of Americans think Offshore Drilling for oil and Natural Gas is a good idea, according to according to a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll released Wednesday. The poll, which surveyed more than 500 adults by phone in July, found that 69% of respondents support the idea of Offshore Drilling, while 30% opposed it. In June, 73% were in favor of Offshore Drilling.
http://politifi.com/news/Americans-favor-offshore-drilling-216659.html

Support for Alternative Energy and Offshore Drilling
March 2, 2010
At the same time, the public continues to broadly support expanded offshore oil drilling: 63% say they favor allowing more offshore oil and gas drilling in U.S. waters while 31% are opposed.

These opinions also have changed little since 2008.
http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1509/alternative-energy-offshore-oil-drilling-nuclear-cap-and-trade

Obama To Open Up Offshore Drilling, But Not That Much
By SEAN HIGGINS, INVESTOR'S BUSINESS DAILY
Posted 03/31/2010 06:57 PM ET

It wasn't exactly "Drill, baby, drill" but President Obama still surprised friends and critics alike by announcing Wednesday the administration would allow some off-shore drilling.

The operative word here is "some." Industry experts and key congressional staffers told IBD that the policy change really creates only the possibility of drilling off Virginia's coast. In most other cases, huge procedural, legal and legislative hurdles remain.

A Republican staffer called it simply a "well-orchestrated media stunt."

"They got a lot of stories that said 'the president opens vast areas,' when in reality he closed more than he opened," the GOP staffer said.

House Republican Whip Eric Cantor, whose district includes Richmond, Va., applauded the decision but said it wasn't much good to anybody outside his state.

"By standing in the way of developing these vast resources in an environmentally safe way, the administration is actively blocking job creation and needed revenue at a time when our country needs it most," he said in a statement.

The timing of the announcement sparked speculation among congressional staffers and energy lobbyists. Some thought the administration was offering an olive branch to industry and the GOP ahead of a proposed cap-and-trade bill. That follows Obama's recent moves to help finance new nuclear power plants.

Others thought it might be a pre-emptive move to take drilling off the table during those cap-and-trade bill negotiations.

The general impression was that the less-than-meets-the-eye drilling plan would not move the ball much on cap-and-trade.
http://www.investors.com/NewsAndAnalysis/Article.aspx?id=529062

[GreenTea]

7. Give the republican red states what they want - It should be a lovely summer on southern beaches.

"Drill Baby Drill" as republicans have demanded, screw the consequences we need the oil now!

Sarcasm. I've been told to add this to my posts because people will then, what, understand my intentions? I suppose.