Bush Lifts Alaska Oil, Gas Drilling Ban

[jpak]

http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/bw-wh/2007/jan/09/010906191.html

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush lifted the drilling ban Tuesday for Alaska's Bristol Bay, clearing the way for the Interior Department to open the fish-rich waters to oil and natural gas development.

Alaska officials as well as local communities had asked for the ban to be lifted, but environmentalists have warned against drilling in the bay, which is also a major fishing area for salmon, crab and cod.

Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne said one or two lease sales in about 5.6 million acres of Bristol Bay will be considered for leasing in the department's upcoming five-year 2007-12 lease plan.

Separately, Bush lifted a drilling moratorium in an area of the central Gulf of Mexico known as Lease Area 181, making that area available to drilling.

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[nam78_two]

1. K&R

:mad:
You should cross post this in GD so more people see it..

[madinmaryland]

2. Isn't Congress working on legislation that would make permanent

the ban on drilling in ANWR? Though I heard something on Bill Press this morning about that.

[northofdenali]

5. I am praying for the ANWR ban - but the one Shrub lifted

is in Bristol Bay, another really, really idiotic move, even though our Big Oil subsidiary (the Alaska State Government) requested it:

WASHINGTON - President Bush lifted the drilling ban Tuesday for Alaska’s Bristol Bay, clearing the way for the Interior Department to open the fish-rich waters to oil and natural gas development.


Alaska state officials had asked for the ban to be lifted, but environmentalists have warned against drilling in the bay, which is also a major fishing area for salmon, crab and cod.

Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne said one or two lease sales in about 5.6 million acres of Bristol Bay will be considered for leasing in the department’s upcoming five-year 2007-12 lease plan.

http://www.adn.com/money/industries/oil/story/8549678p-8443517c.html

The reason for the request:

[no_hypocrisy]

3. The lifting of the ban wasn't done via a Signing Statement, was it? n/t

[LSK]

4. K&R

[Reterr]

6. K&R..Bush sucks

:grr:

[YankeyMCC]

7. Bush continues to ignore the will of the people

and the reality of the climate crisis and the core issues of that crisis.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

8. phuk ewe busch. and thanks. nt

[Dean Martin]

9. I would say impeach him but then...

Cheney would be in charge....:evilfrown: