Bush to ask Congress to clear way for offshore oil drilling

[Viva Las Espuelas]

well it's about damn time. i wanna see obamessiah talk against this. i wanna see then angle that He pulls on this one. i think this is a "check" move against obamessiah. all you enviros, al gore groupies, tree huggers can like it or lump it.
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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush will ask Congress Wednesday to lift the ban on new offshore drilling, White House press secretary Dana Perino said Tuesday.
The request will come a day after presumed Republican presidential nominee John McCain issued the same call.
"For years, the president has pushed Congress to expand our domestic oil supply, but Democrats in Congress have consistently blocked such action," Perino told CNN.
Opponents of offshore drilling say it would harm aquatic ecosystems by eroding wetlands, contaminating the water with chemicals, polluting the air, killing fish and dumping waste.
Bush has long called for opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska to oil exploration, but Perino said he now wants to go further.
"With gasoline now over $4 a gallon, tomorrow he will explicitly call on Congress to also pass legislation lifting the congressional ban on safe, environmentally friendly offshore oil drilling," Perino said.
She added, "As with several existing Republican congressional proposals, he wants to work with states to determine where offshore drilling should occur, and also for the federal government to share revenues with the states. The president believes Congress shouldn't waste any more time."

At a campaign event in Houston, Texas, McCain made similar comments.
"We have proven oil reserves of at least 21 billion barrels in the United States," he said. "But a broad federal moratorium stands in the way of energy exploration and production. And I believe it is time for the federal government to lift these restrictions and to put our own reserves to use."
He said lifting the ban could be done "in ways that are consistent with sensible standards of environmental protection."
McCain's plan would let individual states decide whether to explore drilling possibilities.
According to his campaign, presumptive Democratic nominee Barack Obama wants to invest $150 billion over the next 10 years to establish a green energy sector, create a national low-carbon fuel standard to ensure that the fuel is more efficient, and invest in clean energies like solar, wind and biodiesel.
New drilling already could be in the works 50 miles off the Florida coast -- by Cubans, not Americans, with help from China and other allies. A rich undersea oil field stretches into Cuban waters near the Florida Keys.
"The people I represent can't understand how we can possibly let China end up with rights to our oil and gas in the Gulf of Mexico because we say we're not going to do it and they say, 'OK, we'll do it and we'll work with Cuba, if we have to, to do it,'" said U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp, R-Tennessee. "That's really asinine."

[101A]

Obama will oppose it - basically saying it won't deliver enough, soon enough - that we need to, instead, concentrate on alternative sources. The media will trumpet this as the enlightened position - show some ice bergs breaking apart, follow that report with one about encouraging discoveries on solar, wind, or cow crap conversion, follow THAT with a story about how Bush is less pupular than hemorrhoids while showing pictures of McCain hugging him, and, ultimately, Obama's popularity will rise, despite his very wrong position on this issue.

[Viva Las Espuelas]

this clearly isn't a permanent fix, but it'll buy us time. honestly i'd rather drill our way out of this mess instead of tax our way out. i hope youre taking notes obamacons.

[AZLouis]

http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/country/cou...ta.cfm?fips=US

http://www.eia.doe.gov/basics/quickoil.html

This says the US consumes about 20.6 million barrels of oil per day.

Which according to the article above would last us a little more than 10 days.

Why is this a good idea?

How long will it take to actually start to be able to pump and refine this oil?

[Extra Stout]

If we want to drill known oil reserves on American territory, that's a choice we can make. 10 years from now, when that decision results in actual oil being produced, it will help our trade balance, create jobs, and make people in the oil industry a lot of money. If we do it because we think it will make gasoline go back down to $1.50 a gallon by Christmas, we are gullible idiots.

[AZLouis]

If this is so important, why hasn't Bush lifted the Executive Order first?

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/18/wa...n/18drill.html

Probably pretty tough when your own father and brother are oppposed.

[clambake]

and make people in the oil industry a lot of money.

americans thinking oil companies give a .

[Extra Stout]

americans thinking oil companies give a .

I know that because you're European you assume that you're smarter than every single American and can condescend to all of us, but who exactly do you think is pushing for the drilling restrictions to be lifted if not oil companies?

[boutons_]

Want to protect the US oilcos and domestic production?
Place a tariff on all imported oil.

Want to stimulate oil conservation and alternative fuels while depressing demand? Tax transport fuel like the Europeans do.

( no need to tax oilco windfall profits. Depressed transport fuel demand will cost them 100s of $Bs. oh, and collect every penny of royalties on oil extracted from govt lands )

UK's demand for gasoline is down 20% this year with the US gallon at $8.40, which is amazing since UK has already had high gasoline prices for 15+ years, meaning that the recent increases in UK gasoline have uncovered even more elasticity in demand.

[clambake]

I know that because you're European you assume that you're smarter than every single American and can condescend to all of us,

this is a broad stroke from someone i could always count on giving me the fine print.

but who exactly do you think is pushing for the drilling restrictions to be lifted if not oil companies?

anyone can push for lifting restrictions if they convince themselves to ignore the motive.

[Extra Stout]

this is a broad stroke from someone i could always count on giving me the fine print.

I'm entering my Impressionist phase.

anyone can push for lifting restrictions if they convince themselves to ignore the motive.

At a conservative $80 a barrel, with 21 billion barrels out there, I see $1.68 trillion worth of motive.

Clear $20 a barrel profit, reserve 0.01% to buy off public officials, and each Republican congressperson receives nearly $170,000 in campaign contributions and kickbacks.

Seems clear to me.

[johnsmith]

Wait a second, Clambake is a Euro?

[Extra Stout]

Wait a second, Clambake is a Euro?

He's from Ulcer, I mean Ulster.

[01.20.09]

This is a smart political move and nothing more.

[Viva Las Espuelas]

This is a smart political move and nothing more.

not entirely.

[01.20.09]

primarily

[Viva Las Espuelas]

primarily

to-may-toe
to-motto

[RandomGuy]

well it's about damn time. i wanna see obamessiah talk against this. i wanna see then angle that He pulls on this one. i think this is a "check" move against obamessiah. all you enviros, al gore groupies, tree huggers can like it or lump it.

What, pray tell, do you hope to find in the remaining areas that you can't find in the 106,000 square miles already open, but not being used, hmmmm?

It is indeed a political move with political motivations intended to score political points, at the expense of actually doing something that might actually make a diffrence. Par for the course

There are two prohibitions on offshore drilling, one imposed by Congress and another by executive order signed by Bush's father in 1990.

I would ask why the president, if he is really concerned and convinced that this is the best way to go, doesn't just recind his fathers executive order?

[RandomGuy]

I would ask why the president, if he is really concerned and convinced that this is the best way to go, doesn't just recind his fathers executive order?

This president has clearly and repeatedly shown the ability and willingness to act outside of congress' wishes.

That he is all of a sudden deeply concerned about working with congress doesn't fit his past pattern, so one can only conclude there must be some motivation behind this change. The best, most obvious answer is, sadly, also the most cynical one: pure political theater intended to make Democrats look bad at the expense of actually exploring for oil.

Great. Once again, this administration simply proves to care less about policies that work, and more about scoring political points.

[clambake]

the argument is "the sole purpose for drilling is to flood the global market to reduce prices". amer. oil co's are not here to rescue america.

let other countries drill under lease agreements, because the oil is going to the global market anyway.

[xrayzebra]

This president has clearly and repeatedly shown the ability and willingness to act outside of congresses wishes.

That he is all of a sudden deeply concerned about working with congress doesn't fit his past pattern, so one can only conclude there must be some motivation behind this change. The best, most obvious answer is, sadly, also the most cynical one: pure political theater intended to make Democrats look bad at the expense of actually exploring for oil.

Great. Once again, this administration simply proves to care less about policies that work, and more about scoring political points.

Much of the forbidden area has oil that is more
accessible. And in some cases infracture exist that can deliver the oil in shorter time frame.

[Viva Las Espuelas]

What, pray tell, hmm. i can't decipher that one. sorry do you hope to find in the remaining areas that you can't find in the 106,000 square miles already open, but not being used, hmmmm? well i can pretty much guess this area, that you think i can mind read from you, is locked up due to a long, tedious legal paper trail. i'm willing to bet on that.

It is indeed a political move with political motivations intended to score political points, to sway money away from the people that want to kill us. put more money into our failing economy. yeah. strictly political. at the expense of actually doing something that might actually make a diffrence. like what? do tell. and don't give me this ethanol crap. Par for the course what course have we been on. this "save us from the republican death grip" congress that was just placed hasn't done squat, but change their menu.

There are two prohibitions on offshore drilling, one imposed by Congress and another by executive order signed by Bush's father in 1990. hmm. i don't see it.

1990
Executive Orders

• 12699 - Seismic safety of federal and federally assisted or regulated new building construction
• 12700 - President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology
• 12701 - Amending Executive Order No. 12334 (President's Intelligence Oversight Board)
• 12702 - Waver for Czechoslovakia
• 12703 - Support for East European Democracy (SEED) program
• 12704 - Amendments to Executive Order Nos. 11830, 12367, 12692
• 12705 - Amendment to Executive Order No. 12686
• 12706 - Extended the period of nuclear cooperation with the European Atomic Energy Community to Mar. 10, 1991
• 12707 - Termination of emergency with respect to Nicaragua
• 12708 - Amendments to the Manual for Courts-Martial, United States, 1984
• 12709 - Increasing the membership of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports
• 12710 - Termination of emergency with respect to Panama
• 12711 - Policy implementation with respect to nationals of the People's Republic of China
• 12712 - Adding the Secretary of Energy to the National Space Council
• 12713 - Delegation of authority for submission of report
• 12714 - Establishing an emergency board to investigate disputes between certain railroads represented by the National Carriers' Conference Committee of the National Railway Labor Conference and their employees represented by certain labor organizations
• 12715 - Determination for support of scouting activities overseas
• 12716 - Extending the National Commission on Superconductivity
• 12717 - Revoking Executive Order No. 12691
• 12718 - President's Advisory Commission on the Public Service
• 12719 - President's Commission on the Federal Appointment Process
• 12720 - President's Council on Rural America
• 12721 - Eligibility of overseas employees for noncompe ive appointments
• 12722 - Blocking Iraqi government property and prohibiting transactions with Iraq
• 12723 - Blocking Kuwiat government property and prohibiting transactions with Kuwait
• 12724 - Blocking Iraqi government property and prohibiting transactions with Iraq
• 12725 - Blocking Kuwiat government property and prohibiting transactions with Kuwait
• 12726 - Waver for German Democratic Republic
• 12727 - Ordering the selective reserve of the armed forces to active duty
• 12728 - Delegating the President's authority to suspend any provision of law relating to the promotion, retirement, or separation of members of the armed forces
• 12729 - President's advisory commission on educational excellence for Hispanic Americans
• 12730 - Continued effectiveness of the Export Administration Act of 1979
• 12731 - Principles of ethical conduct for government officers and employees
• 12732 - International Fund for Agricultural Development
• 12733 - Authorizing extension of period of active duty of personnel of selected reserve of armed forces
• 12734 - National emergency construction authority
• 12735 - Chemical and biological weapons proliferation
• 12736 - Adjustment of pay rates effective Jan. 1, 1991
• 12737 - President's commission on environmental quality
• 12738 - Administration of foreign assistance and related functions and arms export controls
• 12739 - Half-day closing of Government departments and agencies on Monday, December 24, 1990
• 12740 - Waiver Under the Trade Act of 1974 With Respect to the Soviet Union
• 12741 - Extending the President's Education Policy Advisory Committee
• 12742 - National security industrial responsiveness

I would ask why the president, if he is really concerned and convinced that this is the best way to go, doesn't just recind his fathers executive order?which one?

[ElNono]

Doesn't the Oil Co's already have about 68 million acres of federal lands leased and not being explored?
Why didn't they start drilling there already? What they want, more land handouts?

LINK

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Want to protect the US oilcos and domestic production?
Place a tariff on all imported oil.

That won't protect , it will make gasoline more expensive and that's about it.

Do you understand that the U.S. oil companies account for like 5% of worldwide production? Don't answer that, I know you don't.

Want to stimulate oil conservation and alternative fuels while depressing demand? Tax transport fuel like the Europeans do.

And it all gets passed on to us, the consumers. You're really a ing idiot, you know that?

( no need to tax oilco windfall profits. Depressed transport fuel demand will cost them 100s of $Bs. oh, and collect every penny of royalties on oil extracted from govt lands )

It won't cost them , they will pass on the cost to you and me and we'll be the ones paying for it.

UK's demand for gasoline is down 20% this year with the US gallon at $8.40, which is amazing since UK has already had high gasoline prices for 15+ years, meaning that the recent increases in UK gasoline have uncovered even more elasticity in demand.

You can't compare the UK to the U.S. Their mass transit system is light years ahead of damn near anything in the U.S. save maybe the NY subway system.

America's modern infrastructure was built on the idea of cheap oil. It's going to take decades to shift to alternative infrastructure, maybe even a century.

The solution to our energy problems is multi-faceted.

Near term (10 year horizon):

1. Open up continental shelves, U.S. offshore to drilling.
2. Open up the 5% of the ANWR that actually has oil to drilling.
3. Don't tie up new refinery construction for 10 years in red tape and court.
4. Build more wind farms
5. Invest in more nuclear power plant construction (and cut down on the current 6-8 years of red tape bull required to construct).
6. Nix the ethanol mandate, it's killing us all at the grocery store and doesn't solve a damn thing other than make the tree huggers feel all warm and fuzzy inside

Long term (10+ years):

1. Invest appropriate resources into alternative energy sources. By appropriate I mean more than token grants by the federal government.
2. Begin investing in expanding/developing public mass transit systems in our larger cities. Stupid like Via doesn't count.
3. Invest in city-city public transit, like the high speed rails in Europe.

It pisses me off whenever I see the oil fans say 'all we need to do is drill on our shores and ANWR'. It pisses me off equally when I see a like Obama say (as he did in response to McCain's comment that we needed to drill our shores) that it's a political ploy, not a solution, and we need alternative fuels.

Alternative fuel sources aren't going to show up on the corner tomorrow, that's a 10-20 year (best case) pipe dream that even if discovered tomorrow would take years to bring to market on the appropriate economies of scale.

All this one of the other ultimatum has got to stop. There's no one magic bullet to tackling our energy crisis, and it kills me that neither of our presidential candidates either recognize this or they do but are such political s they are unwilling to admit it.

[RandomGuy]

Originally Posted by vivalasconfirmation biasoso

What, pray tell...

hmm. i can't decipher that one. sorry

"pray tell":
Main Entry: pray tell
Part of Speech: phr
Definition: please do tell (about something)

Webster's New Millennium™ Dictionary of English, Preview Edition (v 0.9.7)
Copyright © 2003-2008 Lexico Publishing Group, LLC

Sorry to have confused you with this blindingly difficult to find, somewhat archaic turn of phrase.

Results 1 - 10 of about 746,000 for "pray tell" definition. (0.25 seconds)

Onwards through the fog.

do you hope to find in the remaining areas that you can't find in the 106,000 square miles already open, but not being used, hmmmm?

well i can pretty much guess this area, that you think i can mind read from you, is locked up due to a long, tedious legal paper trail. i'm willing to bet on that.

The originally quoted area was given by the congressional Democrats in response to this measure. I converted it from the original 68 million acres. The Dems say it is already open for exploration, this is backed up from my reading of prospectuses from oil drilling companies. I have been researching small companies and oil rig manufacturers to invest in.

If you like, I can re-find the annual reports that I was reading. They are all a bit of a dry read, but they do give rough outlines of where they are drilling and who/what/why their customers are buying rigs respectively.

Still wanna make that bet that we aren't already drilling offshore?

It is indeed a political move with political motivations intended to score political points, to sway money away from the people that want to kill us. put more money into our failing economy. yeah. strictly political. at the expense of actually doing something that might actually make a diffrence. like what? do tell. and don't give me this ethanol crap. Par for the course what course have we been on. this "save us from the republican death grip" congress that was just placed hasn't done squat, but change their menu.

I don't see a point here. Your interspersion of comments with my words makes it hard to actually figure out what you are trying to get at. Assume I am not as smart as you are, and kindly spell it out for me.

There are two prohibitions on offshore drilling, one imposed by Congress and another by executive order signed by Bush's father in 1990.

hmm. i don't see it.


1990
Executive Orders [list truncated for brevity]

[/QUOTE]

My apologies.

My source was orginally an AP article. They seem to have gotten the year wrong.

I didn't find any such executive order for 1990, but did find the correct executive order in 1991.

Executive Order 12777 - Implementation of Section 311 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act of October 18, 1972, as Amended, and the Oil Pollution Act of 1990
October 18th, 1991
Click here for the full text of the order imposing the added cost of producing environmental impact statements and composing oil spill clean up plans that the AP article was most likely referring to.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Oil Pollution Act (101 H.R.1465, P.L. 101-380 [1]) was passed by the United States Congress to prevent further oil spills from occurring in the United States. It was made after the Exxon Valdez oil spill. It stated that

"A company cannot ship oil into the United States until it presents a plan to prevent spills that may occur. It must also have a detailed containment and cleanup plan in case of an oil spill emergency."
The bill enjoyed widespread support, passing the House 375 - 5 and the Senate by voice vote before conference, and unanimously in both chambers after conference.

More details can be found directly at the EPA's website.