Bush Lifts Ban On Offshore Drilling

Congress Must Still Lift Legislative Ban Before Controversial Drilling Can Happen

(CBS/ AP)  Putting pressure on congressional Democrats to back more exploration for oil, President Bush on Monday lifted an executive ban on offshore drilling that has stood since his father was president.

But the move, by itself, will do nothing unless Congress acts as well.

There are two prohibitions on offshore drilling, one imposed by Congress and another by executive order signed by the first President Bush in 1990.

The lifting of the ban is what the White House calls a "two-key" operation, reports CBS News White House correspondent Mark Knoller. The White House said Mr. Bush, trying to ease market tensions and boost supply, wanted Congress to act before he turned his key by rescinding the Executive Order.

"The only thing standing between the American people and these vast oil resources is action from the U.S. Congress," Mr. Bush said in a statement in the Rose Garden. "Now the ball is squarely in Congress' court."

Mr. Bush criticized Congress for failing to lift its own ban on offshore drilling. "Failure to act is unacceptable," the president said.

"And now Americans are paying at the pump," he declared.

Congressional Democrats, joined by some GOP lawmakers from coastal states, have opposed lifting the prohibition that has barred energy companies from waters along both the East and West coasts and in the eastern Gulf of Mexico. A succession of presidents, from Mr. Bush's father - George H.W. Bush - to Bill Clinton, have sided against drilling in these waters, as has Congress each year for 27 years. Their goal has to been to protect beaches and coastal states' tourism economies.

"This proposal is something you'd expect from an oil company CEO, not the president of the United States," said Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., chairwoman of the Senate Environment Committee. "The president is taking special-interest government to a new level and threatening our thriving coastal economy."

Environmental groups, too, blasted Mr. Bush's move.

"President Bush has once again ignored the wise precedent set by his father and taken reckless action that has neither hope of reducing gas prices nor concern for long-term consequences," said Gene Karpinski, president of The League of Conservation Voters.

Asked if Mr. Bush's action alone will lead to more oil drilling, White House press secretary Dana Perino said, "In terms of allowing more exploration to go forward? No, it does not."

The president, in his final months of office, has turned to increased oil exploration among other options amid record gas-prices. None would have immediate impact on prices at the pump, according to White House officials, who say there is no quick fix. But starting action now would help, they say.

Mr. Bush's proposal echoes a call by Republican presidential candidate, Sen. John McCain, to open the Outer Continental Shelf for exploration. Democrat Barack Obama has opposed the idea and instead argued for helping consumers with a second economic stimulus package including energy rebates, as well as stepped up efforts to develop alternative fuels and more fuel-efficient automobiles.

"If offshore drilling would provide short-term relief at the pump or a long-term strategy for energy independence, it would be worthy of our consideration, regardless of the risks," spokesman Bill Burton said in a statement. "But most experts, even within the Bush administration, concede it would do neither. It would merely prolong the failed energy policies we have seen from Washington for thirty years."

Congressional Democrats have rejected the push to lift the drilling moratorium, accusing the president of hoping the U.S. can drill its way out a problem.

Mr. Bush says offshore drilling could yield up to 18 billion barrels of oil over time, although it would take years for production to start. Mr. Bush also says offshore drilling would take pressure off prices over time. In addition, the president has proposed opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for drilling, lifting restrictions on oil shale leasing in the Green River Basin of Colorado, Utah and Wyoming and easing the regulatory process to expand oil refining capacity.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and other lawmakers have backed legislation to allow offshore exploration. Their measure would pursue other ways to expand energy sources, too.

"Now the only thing standing between consumers at the pump and the increased American energy they are demanding is the Democrat leadership in Congress," McConnell said. "We should act and act now."

Nearly half the people surveyed by the Pew Research Center in late June said they now consider energy exploration and drilling more important than conservation, compared with a little over a third who felt that way only five months ago. The sharpest shift in attitude came among political liberals.

Democrats say they are for drilling, but argue that oil companies aren't going after the oil where they already have leases. So why open new, protected areas? they ask. Democrats say there are 68 million acres of federal land and waters where oil and gas companies hold leases, but aren't producing oil.

"Americans are fed up every time they go to fill up and they're right to demand action. But instead of a serious response, President Bush and his allies simply repeat the same old line - more drilling," Democratic Rep. Chris Van Hollen said in the Democrats' radio address on Saturday.

[ubrew12]

Honestly, they may have to be opened up eventually. But how about starting with the 68 million acres of Federal land already deeded to the oil companies for drilling (with potential to double US oil production)? This is Bush telling America to go fvck itself: I''ll do what I want!

I''m actually glad Bush said no change on Global Warming policy and lifted this ban on offshore oil drilling. It shows how completely unAmerican he is.

[anecdote1]

Well that should raise the price of oil to an all time high.....again.

[underdogus01]

as always a day late and a dollar short....watch your head

[Gary Kempf]

"Democrats support more drilling," he said. "In fact, what the president hasn''t told you is that the oil companies are already sitting on 68 million acres of federal lands with the potential to nearly double U.S. oil production. That is why in the coming days congressional Democrats will vote on ''Use It or Lose It'' legislation requiring the big oil companies to develop these resources or lose their leases to someone else who will."

This is valid, Drill on what they already control thru leases...... Use It, or Lose It!!!!

[ianlou]

This is how an Oil Man President "Gives away the farm" before leaving office.

[ajayvee]

Before taking anything foregranted, I would recommend waiting a wee while. I say that by the end of next week Congress will find a "patriotic" reason for giving the crime-boss what he wants. I can only hope that come November Pelosi and Reid get turfed.

[omega39-2009]

I heard on the radio today that gas prices have mostly remained stable over the last 3 weeks because demand is plummeting and they can''t pass higher prices on to the consumer. It sure doesn''t smell like a supply/demand issue to me.

[jumkey]

Really, this just again shows how dishonest Bush and conservative Republicans are.

Just like 9/11 where they used the deaths of 3,000 Americans to advance their political agenda these scumbags are using the high price of oil to further their anti-environment goals.

What truly evil people they are.

[gopack443]

What will McCain run on now? Guess were not suppose to know that it''s a global market and where the crude comes out of the ground is irrelevant. The futures traders who are running up the prices!

[six-six-seis]

Too Little, Too Late,
Remember he threatened to Veto, Legislation aimed at
better mileage,
said at the time, It would be bad for the Car Industry.

You did a heck of a Job SHRUBBIE!!!!!

[jumkey]

Posted by omega39

With demand plummeting and supply staying constant soon enough there will be so much oil there will be nowhere to put it.

The oil companies will now have to get OPEC to pump less - even as the Republicans are demanding we destroy our wildlands and natural areas to drill for oil.

It''s the Republican plan - screw America, support the terrorists and stuff their pockets with money.

[lib_crusher]

I say that by the end of next week Congress will find a "patriotic" reason for giving the crime-boss what he wants. I can only hope that come November Pelosi and Reid get turfed.

Posted by ajayvee at 10:34 AM : Jul 14, 2008

To whom are you referring to as a crime boss? The people of the United States of America? Because this is what WE THE PEOPLE want and Bush is simply (and finally!) capitulating.

[omega39-2009]

The CEOs of the major airlines have jointly signed a letter asking their customers to write their representatives and ask them to rein in speculation on the oil markets. It seems they don''t believe this shortage nonsense either.

[questionnews]

Florida was going to have off shore oil drilling anyway.
The state of Florida bans US energy companies from off shore drilling within 300 miles of the coast but, China signed oil drilling deals with Cuba that by international law allows them to drill within 100 miles of the Florida coast. China will be in our back yard sucking up oil & then will most likely sell it right back to us.

[inventagod2]

All I can hear is the muffled cries of passion from Bu$hButtworshippers...

This president has used his position to reap fortunes for his defense and oil buddies. All this for a resource that MAY last another 40 years...

Had Bu$h been a visionary, instead of a CorpWhore, those countless trillion$ he squandered would have made a decent down-payment on an alternate energy future for our USA...

[jtdev1]

Drilling for more oil isn''t going to ease any pains at the pump.

Too bad no one will stop thinking oil and start thinking renewable.

[omega39-2009]

It''''s the Republican plan - screw America, support the terrorists and stuff their pockets with money.

Posted by jumkey at

Yeah, Bush and his base (the have mores) seem to be holding a fire sale in the last months of his presidency. They are trying to steal as much as they can before the spigot is turned off next January.

[ubrew12]

Yesterday I posted that this country was all about oil (given the lack of alternative energy research funds and the huge giveaways to the oil industry). Someone wrote in and said that was ludicrous.

Exhibit A: todays latest outrage from Bush.

[rowdywicca]

Get to drilling and investing in the US...IT''S ABOUT DAMNED TIME!!!!!

[conservalib]

Off shore drilling will create a slight increase in world (not American) oil supply in 10 years--more of an opportunity for oil companies than a practical answer for Americans. Right now, We can reduce oil consumption by 35 to 50% by changing our personal habits and cars. In the meantime, SCIENCE can create cleaner fuels. This is doable but we need real leadership to make it happen.

[berniepeders]

Even if we had all the crude we needed tomorrow nothing would change because we don''t have the ability to refine it into gasoline. We should be passing bills to encourage the oil giants to build refineries.Posted by koko98

Bravo! I couldn''t agree more, but may I amend your suggestion and change it to "force the oil giants to build refineries"? If we encourage them, they''ll just ignore us and stay with the status quo.
Peace

[questionnews]

That is why in the coming days congressional Democrats will vote on ''Use It or Lose It'' legislation requiring the big oil companies to develop these resources or lose their leases to someone else who will."


Yea!! We can sell those leases to China. Give those jobs to the Chinese & let them make the money selling all that dirty American crude to...............Americans.

[berniepeders]

SCIENCE can create cleaner fuels. This is doable but we need real leadership to make it happen.

Posted by Conservalib

It IS amazing that with all of the flammable substances that exist in this world, today, no one has come up with a successful method of using any of them to power our vehicles, other than gasoline. Really, it amazes me.

[guad07rg]

Except that the oil companies have turned down opportunities from Congress to build more refineries. And lets not forget the millions of untapped acres of land that the oil companies have at their disposl for drilling, but refuse to do so, instead, insisting on the offshore sites (that they know will likely not be approved by Congress). Then they turn aronud and blame Democrats for not letting them drill. All the while, the oil coimapnies laugh all the way to the bank.


Posted by rafterman1 at 10:53 AM : Jul 14, 2008

FYI the oil companies would love to build more refineries, except everytime they try the Eco-Nazi''s
Judge shop and get some black robe to put the needs
of some (fill in the blank endagered species). Ahead
of the working person who needs to fill his or her
tank to work and feed thier Family.

[armydog2]

if bush was serious about finding a way to lower oil prices getting rid of the enron loophole would be the first step. offshore drilling will do nothing but put more profits in exxon mobil''s pockets. don''t be fooled bush is an oilman and will remain loyal to his big oil lobbyists who are the ones pushing for this.

[pollroller1]

WOW!!! I am going out and get me one of them big Hummers. Happy days are here again.

[talkingham]

Yes, perhaps this would make sense if there was actually a shortage of oil but we all know there isn''t a shortage, just a shortage of dollars and jobs to pay for oil.

Of course a real shortage could be easily contrived as was done back in the ''70''s when Bush''s Saudi friends helped create the Arab Oil Embargo shortage which raised gas above the 50-cents a gallon mark for the first time in history. Now we''ve come a long way baby under Bush and his loving Saudi buddy Bandar Bush. Of course if you are a Bush-loving idiot you never saw the Michael Moore 911 film that highlighted this wonderful relationship of the Bush Royal Family with the Saudi Royal family.

So what this is really all about is getting and giving yet more power to the oil companies-- they want those leases even if they wait and use them later after oil goes to $200/barrel.

Since they have more than 68-million acres of unused leases (including off-shore) now they want even more and they are going to charge the US for them too. This sold-out liar of a president is so in the hip pocket of big oil and the Saudis that it should make every American sick of his and his father''s lies.

[conservalib]

The Republican Party is The Oil Party. Jimmy Carter put solar panels on the White House and got his Energy Act passed which limited our dependency on foreign Oil. Ronald Reagan took the panels off, the GOP congress repealed the Act. Since then it has been oil, oil, oil, with Navigators and SUVs roaming the earth like smog farting dinosaurs. No one has been worse than Bush/Cheney, and this is why they are referred to as Crime Bosses and the Bush Crime Family.

[omega39-2009]

We are never going to break Americas dependency on foreign oil because simply stated the more we produce, the more that is going to end up on the global energy markets. As we Americans try to buy it with our valueless dollars we will be competing against real economies that aren''t using "Bush bucks" but rather real currency.

[berniepeders]

rafterman1:

I believe that what "guad07rg" is saying is true. Whenever ANY company tries to develop any property, almost anywhere, there is always a group of tree-huggers kicking and screaming that it will destroy the habitat of this or that cute little creature. Now you''ve got lawyers for both sides involved and the whole thing ends up on some trial calender for who knows when. Maybe the Feds could somehow stop all the protests and let the oil companies do what they do, drill.

[forthepeopl1]

In the worst case, that may be what happens, in the form of a conservatorship. Under a 1992 law, for a conservatorship to occur, the companies'' chief regulator, James B. Lockhart, director of the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight, would need to conclude that Fannie, Freddie or both are "critically undercapitalized."

A conservator would have the power to run the companies -- but not the authority to shut them down. According to theNew York Times, the shares of the companies would become all but worthless, and losses on mortgages they hold or guarantee would be made up by the federal government.

It''s still hard to tell whether such a dire outcome will occur. Public officials, from Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson to Fed chairman Ben Bernanke, and the companies themselves are keeping a stiff upper lip, trying to calm the waters by issuing statements saying that all is well -- even if it isn''t. In case you forgot, however, that''s how you try to forestall a run on the bank.

the last para is exectly what they are doing..their is no money in the bank

[conservalib]

The current leaders of the GOP are working hard to destroy America''s Middle Class. They want us broke
and powerless. A strong middle class creates a strong democracy. Breaking us down has been the plan since Bush came into office.

[forthepeopl1]

everyone please goggle this and learn something that the govemnet has hid for 40 yrs. 7 oil and gas wells that have more gas and oil than saudi,russia.

gull island off of alaska. already drill and cap , ready to give americans more oil and gas than we can haddle for the next 1000 years,

call your con/sen/ and ask why??????????????

[forthepeopl1]

apple2pie, not true...........

if everyone knew that we had more oil and gas than saudi,and russia. than oil and gas would be as cheap as it was in the 50"s..

[omega39-2009]

The fact is OPEC is a convenient source of blame for politicians and oil executives out to enrich themselves at the publics expense. If we really wanted to free ourselves from foreign oil we would start by nationalizing our oil industry.

[unmunificent]

just so everyone knows, the oil companies already hold leases for 64 million acres, that they have chosen not to develop yet.

Posted by getoffmine
_____________________
Oil companies want to make money. Perhaps there isn''t much worth investing in those acres. But no matter what anyone says.... you know best, don''t you?

[vranger]

Evidently none of the rabid Bush critic idiots actually bothered to read this article, which is typical of them.

Bush did not unilaterally do anything which can allow offshore drilling. He rescinded a long standing Executive Order against drilling in some areas. Drilling in those areas is still prohibited unless Congress rescinds matching legislation long in place.

However, don''t hold your breath for the ''do nothing'' Democrat controlled Congress to do anything. They''ve kept every worthwhile program stuck in committee for the last 18+ months, trying to tighten the screws on the American public in advance of the election. The more dissatisfied they can make you by their (in)actions, the more they know that people will blame it on the White House.

[bigbguam]

Yeah the Eco Nazi''s are preventing the ANWAR development.

Have you ever seen where the drilling will take place. It is not those lovely mountains and forests. It is desolate, barren worse than Purdo!

Do the google Earth thing and check it out. There is no wildlife, trees, rivers, or mountains. Just barren rock.

Yeah the US has more gas and oil, but Exxon who netted what $10B last qtr would rather not spend the money to get it.

As well they nte $10B and the judge reduces the fine to $500M makes sense to me.

[andylance1]

Why are the Russians rushin'' to drill in the Artic? According to Putin, "We need to find new oil fields ... We need to go offshore in the Artic Zone."

The answer: Unlike our Democratic Congress, the Russians are not stupid.

[ddaryl1]

The oil industry must 1st use up all of its exisiting oil leases before we give them any new ones...

In fact the only thing the oil company wants is to be able to drive oil prices so low it can kill any chance of green energy becomming the norm in the not to distant future.

This has all happened before, once oil prices become low enough all the investment in green techologies will evaporate. We will be in the pockets of the oil companies... and that is just what they want.

We either toughen up, and tell th eoil companies to go suck it, or we will forever be controlled by the industry.

America is falling apart, and the only way to fix it is to create new energy or energy saving infrastgrucutres that create high paying jobs for the masses.

What the oil industry and the majority of the welathy really want is the abiltity to control us. Oil dependancy has always been the means to the ways of cotrolling the masses and funneling extreme wealth to the few who use it against us in our own governement and media.

I''m sick and tired of oil... and I say let oil proces keep rising... and force our transisition into gree technologies and suck the welath from the oil industry who refuses to invest its billions in profits into these necesssary techologies.

[stn_sage]

just so everyone knows, the oil companies already hold leases for 64 million acres, that they have chosen not to develop yet.
Posted by getoffmine
_____________________
Oil companies want to make money. Perhaps there isn''''t much worth investing in those acres. But no matter what anyone says.... you know best, don''''t you?
Posted by unmunificent at 11:13 AM : Jul 14, 2008
-------------------------------
My response: AND, YOU know better unmunificent?!
Perhaps, they just want to get the rest of the parcels while they totally own this president! If
the Mid-East goes up in flames in the near future,
those remaining parcels increase in value enormously!
And for now---until more were discovered---they be all that''s left! Let''em drill what they have, before they start whining for more!

[greybeardvet]

As we fully expected, the Rodent is now blaming the Democrats for the high gas prices and telling us that the solution is to despoil our beautiful seashores with oil rigs.

This mindless wastrel we call our president will go down in history as the most despised and dishonorable man who has ever lived in the White House.

[floydzepp5]

Irrelevanr grandstanding by the Mad **** Shrub. The Oil Industry itself say more drilling won''t even begin to pay off for ten years and will do nothing to reduce prices.

But then RINOpublican suporters are dumber than a bag of hammers anyway so they won''t pay attention to the reality of the situation.

[omega39-2009]

"conservation may be a sign of personal virtue, but it is not a sufficient basis for a sound, comprehensive energy policy". -D Cheney

[floydzepp5]

http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/content/jun2008/db20080619_412349.htm?campaign_id=rss_daily

Oil: New Drilling Wouldn''t Cut Prices
It would be years before production hits the market%u2014and Big Oil would have to spend heavily. Even then, prices may not drop

[mecury69]

Why is $4 a gallon bad? For the first time we see progress in this country towards energy reform. It started in the 70''s until gas got cheap and went back to the gas addicted days. Now, if gas decreases in price, what will happen then? Does anyone really think we will continue to pursue an energy independent solution we are on?

Drill more. That''s the best we can do, huh. That''s the biggest stretch of our imagination. And there is no guarantee that it will impact prices at all.

Oil has controlled this country for so long. We are losing the lives of brave men and women everyday to protect it.

Necessity is the mother of invention. Let''s keep on message and get off the juice.

[bobnjersey]

[Nearly half the people surveyed by the Pew Research Center in late June said they now consider energy exploration and drilling more important than conservation, compared with a little over a third who felt that way only five months ago. The sharpest shift in attitude came among political liberals. ]

do any of these people who are polled know of what they''re speaking to? i doubt it.

keep saying it over and over ... and the masses begin repeating it too.

[floydzepp5]

Arctic Drilling Wouldn''t Cool High Oil Prices
Federal energy analysts say it would take 10 years for production to begin, and its impact could be very modest
By Marianne Lavelle
Posted May 23, 2008
-------

http://www.usnews.com/articles/news/national/2008/05/23/arctic-drilling-wouldnt-cool-high-oil-prices.html

[ddaryl1]

Its time for the oil industry to do the patriotic thing and invest our way away from oil, saving this country in th eprocess and doing what is right for humanity. Ameirca needs to lead the way, not pander to bloated over weight oil pigs

There is a major conspiracy to artificially inflate oil prices and to weaken the American worker. This is a greed issue, and a control issue. These power mogers will do whateveer they need to do to maintain there power and wealth. They are American companies with absolultly no patriotism in them. BUT they will pump the media full of patriotic slogans and testimonies why they laugh themselves to the bank and to the pockets of our own government.

I don''t trust what really controls America, and time is past due for Americans to step up and take control of their own country. Say no to big oil... ask important question about Gull Island and other already existing oil wells that are not being used... and Why aren''t they ???

[thgdriver]

In 2006 during the midterm elections the Dimwitocrats were telling you how great everything would be after they controlled congress. Nancy Pelosi said "$2.10 a gallon for gas was an outrage". Well, gas is over $4.00 a gallon now Nancy, What the hell happened??

The Dimwitocratic congress has done nothing during the two years they have been in power but put their finger in their noses and blame Bush. Now the ball is firmly in her court, can $7.00 a gallon be far behind??