Ban on offshore drilling has been lifted

Therapist · 09-17-2008, 09:41 AM

Quote:

WASHINGTON — The House on Tuesday night approved a measure that would ease a longstanding ban on offshore oil drilling and try to spur greater use of alternative fuels as Democrats and Republicans engaged in a bitter pre-election clash over America’s energy future. Under the Democratic legislation, adopted by a vote of 236 to 189, oil companies would lose some tax benefits, utilities would be required to produce 15 percent of their electricity from renewable sources by 2020 and a ban on developing fuel from Rocky Mountain shale would be lifted.

The legislation, which faces significant hurdles to becoming law before Congress breaks at the end of the month, would allow drilling as close as 50 miles from the coastline if adjacent states agree and 100 miles out no matter a state’s position. It would impose stricter oversight on the agency that handles oil leasing and royalty payments after recent disclosures of improper relationships between its employees and oil industry representatives.
“We are opening up to 400 million acres off the Atlantic and Pacific coasts to drilling and expanding the availability of oil by at least 2 billion barrels,” said Representative Nick J. Rahall II, the West Virginia Democrat who leads the Natural Resources Committee. “And we have done so in a balanced, reasonable and responsible manner.”
Republicans, who have made political gains by portraying Democrats as flatly opposed to new drilling, said the measure was a sham intended to provide Democrats cover from voters furious over gas prices. They faulted it for failing to add incentives for coal and nuclear power and for not limiting environmental suits against drilling proposals. They also criticized Democrats for not negotiating with Republicans in writing the bill.
“We are engaged in exactly what the American people are sick of, and that is political games here in Washington that are intended to be political games and have no outcome,” said Representative John A. Boehner of Ohio, the Republican leader.
A Republican effort to sidetrack the measure with a procedural tactic was rebuffed on a vote that generally adhered to party lines. That cleared the way for approval of the proposal, which drew strong support from Democrats including conservatives from states with strong oil and gas industries. On the final vote, 221 Democrats and 15 Republicans supported it; 176 Republicans and 13 Democrats were opposed.
“It represents a critical turning point,” said Representative Dan Boren, Democrat of Oklahoma, who praised the bill for provisions that would encourage greater use of natural gas. “Today is the day we begin to open our domestic opportunities.”
Though Republicans derided the measure, saying it kept too much of the Outer Continental Shelf and the underlying reserves off limits to drilling, the decision to entertain expanded offshore drilling was a stark reversal for Democrats, who have supported a coastal drilling ban since 1982. They were motivated by the Republican attacks and by the view that keeping the stricter ban would be unrealistic this year. Relaxing the ban became the party’s fall-back position.
Democrats said Republicans were left frustrated because the bill robbed them of a chief line of attack in allowing Democrats to vote for new drilling in conjunction with clean energy initiatives.
“This is a classic case where in the interests of doing good politics, we also did good policy,” said Representative Rahm Emanuel of Illinois, chairman of the House Democratic Caucus.
But Republicans called the entire exercise political, saying Democrats were willing to consider new offshore drilling only because they were certain the bill would not become law.
“It is a Peter Pan story,” said Representative Don Young of Alaska, who led the Republican opposition to the measure. “It is a figment of the imagination. It is a political gimmick.”
The outlook for the measure is uncertain with only two weeks before Congress is set to break until at least the November elections and perhaps until next year. The Senate is preparing to take up a similar bill, but even if it averts a filibuster, it seems unlikely that the bills could be reconciled before the break. And the White House on Tuesday threatened a veto of the House plan.
The Senate was to initially consider extending a series of $17 billion in tax breaks for renewable energy like wind and solar power and then try to sort through proposals that could include the House bill, a bipartisan Senate plan that would allow new drilling in the Gulf of Mexico off the Florida coast and a separate Republican plan.
Among other objections, House Republicans joined industry in criticizing the measure because it would eliminate about $18 billion in tax breaks for oil companies, including a manufacturing deduction of particular benefit to large firms. The savings from the oil companies would be diverted to pay for tax breaks and incentives for renewable fuels, vehicles that use alternative energy and other fuel efficiency programs and research.
On an issue that has been contentious in Western states, the measure would allow the federal government to proceed with leasing public lands for the possible production of oil from shale as long as the states agree. The move, which drew the opposition of conservation groups because of its possible impact in Colorado, Utah and Wyoming, was made to ensure the votes of some wavering Western Democrats.
The measure also seeks to recapture past underpayments of royalties by oil companies by calling on them to renegotiate the old agreements if they intend to bid on new leases. In the bill, Democrats, who contend that oil companies are now letting leases sit idle rather than producing oil and gas, would also require oil companies to pursue their holdings or risk losing them.
In the wake of an ethics scandal in the Minerals Management Service involving accusations of financial wrongdoing, cocaine use and sexual misconduct, the legislation would make it a crime for oil company officials holding leases to provide gifts and favors to employees of the agency, which oversees oil leasing, and would institute civil fines for companies that engage in such practices. It would also hold agency employees to new standards and require drug testing.

its about fucking time

Hamburglar · 09-17-2008, 09:47 AM

temporary solution to a permanent problem
but it means jobs for me

Flash! · 09-17-2008, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 5.0rly

its about fucking time

Chances of Mr. Short Timer not vetoing it are slim to none.

Therapist · 09-17-2008, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hamburglar

temporary solution to a permanent problem
but it means jobs for me

I agree, but its gonna help while we figure out just exactly what the fuck were gonna do... well if we ever get that far before wold war III

rbohm · 09-17-2008, 10:21 AM

its a poor start, but a start none the less

nEighter · 09-18-2008, 02:34 AM

well looks like all the money the oil companies have been sending to the senators has paid off for them. Bitter sweet, or sweet light..

B00STED4V · 09-18-2008, 08:42 AM

drill baby drill! lol

it's about f'n time, theres only a handfull of states that allow offshore drilling, texas, louisiana and mississppi... and unfortunately if those places get raped by a hurricane such as Katrina or Rita or Ike, we get fucked. its a start, but lets keep it going and lets continue to find alternate sorces of fuel... like mexicans or old people, kinda like a reverse soylent green program lol

nEighter · 09-18-2008, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OxMox

drill baby drill! lol

it's about f'n time, theres only a handfull of states that allow offshore drilling, texas, louisiana and mississppi... and unfortunately if those places get raped by a hurricane such as Katrina or Rita or Ike, we get fucked. its a start, but lets keep it going and lets continue to find alternate sorces of fuel... like mexicans or old people, kinda like a reverse soylent green program lol

I would go for drilling a select mexican right now

from the drilling... there would be bio something alright... just not sure you could put it in you tank

FreeBird · 09-18-2008, 12:36 PM

ill accept 100 miles off florida west coast....but most in those costal areas wont... i think they move in any closer and about 1/3 of the reps of any costal district in Florida will get replaced immediately IMO.

FreeBird · 09-18-2008, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 5.0rly

its about fucking time

oh yeah and they arent lifted in any way, yet

....

they are simply on the table to get recessed. but thanks to the people put in charge of protecting all the richie riches of the costal cities around those states :saluteflorida: this "ban" has a long hill to climb.

Therapist · 09-18-2008, 01:27 PM

give me names... I'll make that hill real short... real quick

FreeBird · 09-18-2008, 01:28 PM

LOL no i want the ban to stan........d

09-17-2008, 09:47 AM	#2 (permalink)
Hamburglar I masturbate to teletubbies Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: In a dumpster behind an Iowa McDonalds Posts: 12,448	temporary solution to a permanent problem but it means jobs for me __________________ George Carlin was a modern day philosopher. He brought light to things that others tried to keep in the shadows. He made us see the obvious and laugh at our own stupidity. He was the cold hard truth in a world of lies and bullshit.

09-17-2008, 10:21 AM	#5 (permalink)
rbohm Legendary Veteran Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: tucson,az/luray,va Posts: 529	its a poor start, but a start none the less __________________ 64 falcon 66 mustang 76 el camino a man's fate is a man's fate and life is but an illusion

09-18-2008, 02:34 AM	#6 (permalink)
nEighter i <3 whalepenis Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: TwiLight zOne!! Posts: 11,311 Blog Entries: 1	well looks like all the money the oil companies have been sending to the senators has paid off for them. Bitter sweet, or sweet light.. __________________

09-18-2008, 12:36 PM	#9 (permalink)
FreeBird Red Bull gives you wiiiiings!!! Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Margaritaville Posts: 14,468	ill accept 100 miles off florida west coast....but most in those costal areas wont... i think they move in any closer and about 1/3 of the reps of any costal district in Florida will get replaced immediately IMO. __________________

09-18-2008, 01:27 PM	#11 (permalink)
Therapist attacked by rabid cocks...........again! Join Date: May 2006 Location: Oregon Posts: 11,892	give me names... I'll make that hill real short... real quick __________________ ............- Jordan - ..

09-18-2008, 01:28 PM	#12 (permalink)
FreeBird Red Bull gives you wiiiiings!!! Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Margaritaville Posts: 14,468	LOL no i want the ban to stan........d __________________

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