I say we make sure that offshore drilling and Exxon Valdez are never kept out of the same paragraph. They are in fact part of the same exact issue, and people should be reminded of that. Has anyone seen the stories connected in the media? I am going to try to find time to put this into an op-ed.
WASHINGTON — President Bush intends to lift a presidential moratorium on drilling for oil and natural gas on the Outer Continental Shelf, the White House said on Monday, hoping to prod Congress to act to clear the way for exploration along the country’s coastline in response to soaring energy prices.
Mr. Bush will announce the lifting of an executive order, which was first issued by his father in 1990 and was renewed by Bill Clinton, on Monday afternoon in the Rose Garden of the White House, according to Mr. Bush’s press secretary, Dana M. Perino.
By itself, the move will have little impact, because Congress enacted a moratorium in 1982 that remains in place. But the step underscores the rising political pressure to address high oil and
gasoline prices in the middle of an election year.
Mr. Bush telegraphed his intention during his weekly radio address on Saturday, seeking to put the onus on Democrats who have opposed offshore drilling because of environmental concerns.
“One of the factors driving up high gas prices is that many of our oil deposits here in the United States have been put off-limits for exploration and production,” he said then. “Past efforts to meet the demand for oil by expanding domestic resources have been repeatedly rejected by Democrats in Congress.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment