Top Democrat may back new offshore drilling: report

[BigDaddy44]

Source: Reuters

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A top U.S. Democratic senator said in a newspaper interview published Wednesday that he would consider supporting opening up new areas for offshore oil and gas drilling.

"I'm open to drilling and responsible production," Senate Majority Whip Richard Durbin told The Wall Street Journal, adding that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid could also support the move.

However, Durbin said his support for opening new areas to drilling was contingent on setting requirements that oil and gas companies begin production within a specified time frame on acreage they have leased from the government.

The spike in oil prices to record highs above $145 per barrel has prompted calls for the U.S. government to allow energy producers to explore for oil and gas off the East and West Coasts and in the eastern region of the Gulf of Mexico. Those areas are currently off limits to exploration.



Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSN0930217120080709

[msongs]

1. Nancy and Harry stopped drilling for the truth long ago nt

[earthside]

2. 50 Miles Per Gallon

Unless it is mandated in this country that all passenger vehicles get at least 50 miles per gallon by 2012, any drilling off the continental shelf, in the deep water of the Gulf of Mexico, or in ANWR is immoral.

National and planetary treasures should not be placed in jeopardy so that some yahoos can drive Hummers, giant RVs, and the like.

[blm]

3. In some places they already have access to, it's fine. But they want MORE land. I'm glad

Durbin is highlighting that these corporations already accessed these lands for some time now.

[HomerRamone]

4. ready for the NEXT cave-in? n/t

[Indenturedebtor]

8. I don't think it's a cave in. I think it's just another sign of their complicity

There is only one Party. I've spent years embarassing myself telling people that the Pukes were worse than the Dems. I'm starting to feel truly ashamed for believing in any of them.

[liberal N proud]

5. They are going to fight to finish for some of these things

They are going to fight to the death for the oil and to end social security. I hope the fight they take up means the death of the Republican Party

[Ichingcarpenter]

6. They should start your pilot program off of the Chicago Shores, Senator

I'm sure people in the Great Lakes area would just be happy as pigs in a poke.

[debbierlus]

7. Fuck.

Damn it. Does it never end? And, Reid might be jumping on the bandwagon.

We have a hell of a long road to get real representation in Washington

[question everything]

9. They need the assistance of a math tutor

We use 7 billion of barrels a year. How much that offshore is going to provide? Enough for a couple of years?

T. Boone Pickens at least acknowledge that we need to get off oil and start using alternative energy.

[Xenotime]

10. What the fuck?!? They need to stop calling themselves dems and become a * lemming