May 19, 2006
Supply & Demand
- The House rejected an attempt late Thursday to end a quarter-century ban on oil and natural gas drilling in 85 percent of the country's coastal waters despite arguments that the new supplies are needed to lower energy costs.
Lawmakers from Florida and California led the fight to maintain the long-standing drilling moratorium, contending that energy development as close as three miles from shore would jeopardize multibillion-dollar tourism industries.
"It's a grievous assault on Florida and other (coastal) states," declared Rep. Adam Putnam, R-Fla., of attempts to end the drilling prohibitions that Congress first imposed in 1981 and has reaffirmed every year since.
The moratorium bars oil and gas development in virtually all coastal waters outside the western Gulf of Mexico, where most of the country's offshore oil and gas wells are concentrated.
Is Congress tone deaf or incredibly stupid?
Last time I checked high oil prices were a collossal problem in this country. Yet, we're intentionally keeping oil sources closed? While Cuba and China are drilling in nearly the same places?
Good thinking.
Oil and Energy Posted by AlexC at May 19, 2006 10:28 AM
Hmm, and we should not put windmills off of Nantucket either ... because of the tourists. Soon enough, when the tourists cannot afford to travel to Florida and California, we will hear the California Whine of how we should have drilled on the North Slope, eh?
Posted by: mdmhvonpa at May 19, 2006 1:34 PMThis really is outrageous. Impeach congress!
It also serves as evidence that there is NOT an oil crisis. If there were then you can bet this vote would have fallen the other way.
Posted by: johngalt at May 20, 2006 11:14 AMMillions of Americans believe that prices are high because of "gouging." Not even the Republicans will dissuade them from this nonsense.
Somebody needs to tell people about supply and demand. I don't know who that's gonna be.
Posted by: jk at May 20, 2006 11:29 AM | What do you think? [3]