27 More Offshore Wells Approved Since Spill. 26 Exempted From Environmental Review.

[MannyGoldstein]

MMS Approved 27 Gulf Drilling Operations After BP Disaster
26 Were Exempted From Environmental Review, Including Two to BP

Salazar's "Moratorium" on New Drilling Permits Allows Continuation of the Same Flawed
Environmental Exemption Process that Allowed the BP Catastrophe

TUCSON, Ariz.— Even as the BP drilling explosion which killed eleven people continues to gush hundreds of thousands of gallons of oil per day into the Gulf of Mexico, the U.S. Department of Interior’s Minerals Management Service (MMS) has continued to exempt dangerous new drilling operations from environmental review. Twenty-seven new offshore drilling projects have been approved since April 20, 2010; twenty-six under the same environmental review exemption used to approve the disastrous BP drilling that is fouling the Gulf and its wildlife.

http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/press_releases/2010/post-disaster-permits-05-07-2010.html
http://www.democracynow.org/2010/5/10/headlines#6

Drill, baby, drill!

[polichick]

1. No difference from Cheney's policy. New boss, same as the old. nt

[salguine]

30. Whenever I say stuff like that, my posts get deleted.

[Vinnie From Indy]

2. Are we officially an oligarchy of corporate interests yet?

n/t

[polichick]

3. Yep - banks, insurance cos, big pharm, big oil. America the beautiful. nt

[saigon68]

4. DRILL BABY DRILL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9D3epQL704

[AllentownJake]

5. The veil has been off for quite sometime on this Presidency

For those of us that were paying attention

[Dinger]

29. Yes It Has (nt)

[MannyGoldstein]

6. Now Why is This Getting Un-Recced?

Amazing.

[polichick]

7. Head-in-the-sand syndrome - the truth hurts and they don't like it. nt

[AllentownJake]

10. Unpleasant reality

that few are willing to look at.

[HughMoran]

19. Because it was posted last night, and the day before, and the day before that

This is not news - it's been circulating here for a while.

[readmoreoften]

28. Well, important news does tend to circulate, despite the feelings of the "fans".

And unrec'ing this is really gross. Really, really gross.

[AllentownJake]

36. But not surprising nt.

[IndianaGreen]

22. The ostrich syndrome

It is like the drug addict in denial about his or her drug addiction. Better to be high than to deal with reality!

[zulchzulu]

8. I can't imagine a legislature approving offshore wells without an EIS

I'll have to look into this. If it's true, heads should fall.

Not having an EIS (Environmental Impact Study) for an oil well is like having a skyscraper built by a street crackhead.

[Enrique]

11. i can imagine that, easily

especially for wells in Texas or Louisiana.

[PVnRT]

35. I can, easily. Oil companies have plenty of money to throw around.

[zulchzulu]

9. I can't imagine a legislature approving offshore wells without an EIS

I'll have to look into this. If it's true, heads should fall.

Not having an EIS (Environmental Impact Study) for an oil well is like having a skyscraper built by a street crackhead.

[freddie mertz]

12. This may be the nail in coffin for me.

Is there no perfidy this admin will not stoop to on this issue?

[vaberella]

13. This is the one thing I'm 100% against no matter what.

I'm on the fence for Nuclear. But when it comes to this off-shore drilling. I'm not pleased one damned bit.

[activa8tr]

14. I'm with you on this.

There's so much wind and solar power out there I can't see the reason for these oil rigs off-shore.

[vaberella]

15. Exactly. I know Obama is pushing for those too, and that's great.

But I find this to be unnecessary as well, like you said. I can't wrap my head around supporting it, the cost is just way way to high. We already have a weak and endangered eco-system why run this risk on top of it?! It just doesn't make sense.

If Obama didn't do many a great things in the past 18 months or so, I would have been rooting for another candidate about now---because off-shore drilling really boils my blood.

[ladjf]

16. If the administration has a "grain of sense" they will put those

permits on indefinite hold. nt

[MannyGoldstein]

17. Unlikely - This is Triangulation

As long as they issue fewer permits than the Republicans, then we'll vote for the Democrats because we have no alternative.

[HughMoran]

21. Tiangulating tirangles for the sake of triangulation

That word has lost all meaning to me at this point. overused.

[HughMoran]

18. Thread number 4 on this topic within the week

I'm sure there will be 10 more with the identical headline.

[IndianaGreen]

20. Another example of Obama's judgment

or more likely, more evidence of Obama's fondness for Big Oil, and the campaign money that comes with it.

[polichick]

31. Few things more important than this travesty - right up there with the bogus wars. nt

[MadHound]

32. And . . .?

It's not like we don't have twenty threads every time the economic numbers tick up.

People are simply spreading the news.

[AllentownJake]

33. Don't worry, I'm sure they will do something ridiculous in a day or so

to draw attention to something else ridiculous they are up to.

[Forkboy]

37. See the little red X?

You know what to do. It's got be better than whining.

[paparush]

23. "Exempted From Environmental Review" WTF does that even MEAN???

For Fuck's Sake!

I just googled the phrase. Here's one explanation from a Washington Post article:
"...after three reviews of the area concluded that a massive oil spill was unlikely."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/04/AR2010050404118.html

They reviewed the "area"? REALLY?

What, they examined sonar maps of the seabed and concluded, "Nope, nothin bad's gonna happen here. Gentleman you may proceed to rape the planet and make billions."

Did the examination consider the rig, the physical equipment itself, the techniques being employed, the SAFETY RECORD OF THE FIRMS INVOLVED?

THIS MAKES ME SO FUCKING MAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[subsuelo]

25. ditto. (nt)

[amborin]

24. Center for Biological Diversity : Salazar should step down

exempted BP's DH project from envir impact study in 4/09

[polichick]

27. I agree - he was a poor choice, too cozy with industry. nt

[AllentownJake]

34. Some on here were sounding an alarm at his appointment

I was not one of them, but there were quite a few of the more environmentally active posters warning us of Salazar.

Of course the normal accusations and slurs were thrown by a certain sub-segment of our fine community.

[slay]

26. K&R - Ah yes, all the "hope and change you can believe in" right?

as in I HOPE i have enough sense to CHANGE and not vote for EITHER party anymore. They do NOT represent us - they represent the ultra-rich and mega-corporations. The Dems and the repubs. One and the same - just the Dems are nicer about it. Might as well just call um the Democons.. or Republicrats.. We need a party of THE PEOPLE. Too bad there isn't one.