Offshore drilling plan to go ahead: Interior Dept - Reuters

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

Offshore drilling plan to go ahead: Interior Dept
Thu Jan 22, 2009 10:22am EST

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A proposal issued in the
final days of the Bush administration to expand offshore
drilling in previously banned areas will move forward
under the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama,
an Interior Department spokesman told Reuters on
Wednesday.

Shortly after being sworn in on Tuesday, Obama ordered
all federal agencies and departments to halt pending
regulations until they can be reviewed by incoming
staff.

Hugh Vickery, a department spokesman, said the department
has been notified by the White House that it will be able
to proceed with a proposed draft of a five-year plan to
lease areas in the Atlantic and Pacific waters for oil and
natural gas drilling.

The preliminary plan would authorize 31 energy exploration
lease sales between 2010 and 2015 for tracts along the
east coast and off the coasts of Alaska and California.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSTRE50K68520090122

[Captain Hilts]

1. It's like giving a drink to an alcoholic. Not good. nt

[bluestateguy]

2. This is consistent with campaign promises

He conceded to a limited amount of drilling (perhaps throwing a bone to the drill baby drill crowd), but will not base an entire energy policy around it.

And I hope it creates some jobs.

[ComtesseDeSpair]

3. Not good

I'm very disappointed with this policy. We need green energy, not more oil drilling.

[Auggie]

4. Noooooooooooo!

This is madness -- it can't be happening.

[Tikki]

5. Drilling off the Coast of Santa Barbara CA is not likely....

to happen anytime in the future.


Tikki

[bananas]

8. They're already mapping off the San Diego coast

"Odd-looking aircraft doing electromagnetic surveying off San Diego coast"
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=141x33139

[Old and In the Way]

6. It's one thing to say drilling will be allowed.

It's another to say that off-shore investments to drill will be made. If Big Oil can transport oil from the ME without making expensive and unpredictable drilling investments, why would they lower profits to do this?

[Old and In the Way]

7. Hopefully, the 1st lease will open drilling rights off the coast of Kennebunkport, Maine

A few derricks right in front of Poppy and Babs picture windows would be fine by me.

[PVnRT]

9. No one has yet explained

why they can't drill in the lands that they already have leases on.

[CRF450]

10. Didn't Obama say say he'd be willing to do limited offshore drilling?

Maybe my memory is off a little.