Bush's "Fire Sale" For Oil, Gas Industries

Administration Will Lease 50,000 Acres Near National Parks For Drilling

(AP) 

An examination of the parcels, superimposing low-resolution government graphics onto Google Earth maps, shows that in one case drilling parcels bordering Arches National Park are just 1.3 miles from Delicate Arch.

"If you're standing at Delicate Arch, like thousands of people do every year, and you're looking through the arch, you could see drill pads on the hillside behind it. That's how ridiculous this proposed lease sale is," said Franklin Seal, a spokesman for the environmental group Wildland CPR.

In all, the BLM is moving to open 359,000 more acres in Utah to drilling.

Other Utah leases that are certain to draw objections from conservation groups include high cliffs along whitewater sections of Desolation Canyon, which is little changed since explorer John Wesley Powell remarked in 1896 on "a region of wildest desolation" while boating down the Green River to the Grand Canyon.

Others extend to plateaus populated by big game atop Nine Mile Canyon, site of thousands of ancient rock art panels, Moab's famous Slick Rock Trail and a campground popular with thousands of mountain bikers.

Sierra, the BLM's director for Utah, said the Park Service was consulted on the broad management plans that made the sale of parcels next to national parks permissible, even if it was not given notice on which specific leases were being offered. She apologized for that omission but said notice wasn't legally required.

She said national parks want to keep oil and gas wells five to 10 miles away "but that policy doesn't exist."

Roy said the standard for an eyesore visible from a national park turns on what a "casual" observer might see.

The hostility carried over into an e-mail exchange between Sierra and Mike Snyder, the Denver-based regional Park Service director, who noted his agency's demand that BLM pull 40 to 45 drill parcels from the auction list. "You stated that you were not willing to do this," Snyder wrote Nov. 6.

Within hours, Sierra responded "These decisions and the lands available for leasing should come to no one's surprise," according to copies of the e-mails obtained from her office.

Sierra said she instructed her district and field managers to educate the park superintendents on why drilling is OK "adjacent to and near the park boundaries."

In the e-mail, Sierra boasted of having "a very good working relationship" with Roy, the federal coordinator in Utah for the Park Service, but in an interview he said he had "no idea this sale was coming down the pike."

Roy said that when he asked Sierra what was going on, she replied: "We added some tracts, sorry we didn't notify you. We can take up these concerns when we issue" drilling permits. He said his response was: "Holy cow."

Sierra didn't dispute this account, but said "I don't think I was in a mood that dismissed his concerns lightly." She said she had promised only to review the objections, parcel by parcel, before the auction is held Dec. 19.

[tbuckl]

All hands on deck! All hands on deck! She is going down at the bow, abandon ship! abandon ship! Man the life boats. All hands on deck, this is not a drill, this is not a drill, man the life boats. Mayday mayday this is USS American we are taking on water and going down, Mayday mayday this the USS Americna we are taking on water and sinking, life boats are being deployed, we are abandoning ship at this time.

[treknutz]

Any time you have an Elephant and a Jackass you are either going to butt heads or kick each other in the butt! I would say on the items they disagree on should be put to a national vote for the solution. That way it''s with actual will of the people.

A national vote!!! What a concept!

[niceface19]

Why let this criminal do whatever he wants?

[deathofusa]

Don''''t look now, but you just included both parties. Maybe you do understand after all
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Posted by DJ_IL at 01:11 PM : Nov 17, 2008


Not sure which post you are referring to but hey, I feel like I have always been fair. I am an equal opportunity exposer. Both parties are a piece of c r a p . I do fear though that the democrats are going to really hurt us. Again, only time will tell.

[noloyalisti]

We still have time to impeach so that these criminals can be prosecuted and before they start another illegal war for oil.

[oilfix]

Has anyone looked into what oil reserves they''re
talking about? All I could find is there may be
pockets of tar sands in the area. That''ll save us:)
Maybe the Feds are deserate for money.

[perk235]

Sounds pretty good. Now, can we get people to change? I think we are going to have to be strangled pretty tightly before people give up their comfort. We are spoiled.
posted by deathofUSA
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Actually, maybe once they find out that the upkeep pretty much stays at the $ of the list of things recommended for 15,000 miles, they may be more interested.

Because the Prius doesn''t have most of the things checked at 30,000, 60,000 miles, etc., I keep paying the 15,000 mile price for maintenance.

So with 50 mpg (52 in the summer, 48 in winter with snow tires), a relatively heavy weight, all-around air bags, vehicle stability control, and a hatch-back, I''m pretty happy with it.

[deathofusa]

It is built on the Corolla base and so I guess if one was obese it may be a problem? One drive is 6''''1" and doesn''''t complain. It is a hatchback, so I can flip down the back seats and carry quite a bit. Also, I can carry 8 ft. boards in it.
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Posted by perk235 at 12:07 PM : Nov 17, 2008


Sounds pretty good. Now, can we get people to change? I think we are going to have to be strangled pretty tightly before people give up their comfort. We are spoiled.

[perk235]

It weighs 2890 pounds, which is the average weight for a car in it''''''''s class. My old Ford Ranger was 3028 pounds, for comparison.

My prius has all-around air bags and vehicle stability control, which does great in the snow.
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Posted by perk235 at 11:49 AM : Nov 17, 2008
What about your legs? Would they survive? Looks kind of small.
Posted by deathofSUSA
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It is built on the Corolla base and so I guess if one was obese it may be a problem? One drive is 6''1" and doesn''t complain. It is a hatchback, so I can flip down the back seats and carry quite a bit. Also, I can carry 8 ft. boards in it.

[deathofusa]

No, you are simply a backwards thinking individual with no ability to look into the future.
But, I am tired of giving you any more of my time.
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Posted by owlmirror at 12:03 PM : Nov 17, 2008


Yeah, I would be careful if I were you. I may steal your ideas. ha ha ha. what a wacko.

[deathofusa]

Hmmmm....I begin to suspect that curve the rest of us lag you on is a Moebius strip.
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Posted by ibsteve2u at 12:02 PM : Nov 17, 2008


Lol. How could you say that to lil ole owl boy?

[perk235]

Research has shown that using the present materials that are being used to create biodiesel, the process actually has a negative return.
Posted by renrivers at 11:43 AM : Nov 17, 2008
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And you think that harvesting, liquefying, and transporting coal doesn''t come at a cost?

That''s why we need to support research and innovation on alterantive fuels and alternative energy. Some may saw we tried this in the 1970s and it failed. It wasn''t sustained, but also we could genetically engineer plants to produce more of what we need.

We can combine great strides in research in other areas with research in energy.

[RichardOwlMirror]

Go take a nap. You''''re insane.
Posted by deathofUSA
----------------------
No, you are simply a backwards thinking individual with no ability to look into the future.
But, I am tired of giving you any more of my time.

[deathofusa]

No, no lets drill next to our national parks, next we can drill in our national parks. Let put a drilling rig on top of Teddy Roosevelt''''s head at Mount Rushmore.

After all, this pesky national park thing was his idea and his fifth cousin was a Democrat!
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Posted by mytoosense at 11:56 AM : Nov 17, 2008


Sounds good to me.

[missingamerica]

Individually, I''''ve always been 30-40 years ahead of the curve. It takes time to bring people like you along, kicking and screaming into the future.

Posted by owlmirror at 12:00 PM : Nov 17, 2008

Hmmmm....I begin to suspect that curve the rest of us lag you on is a Moebius strip.

[deathofusa]

In short form, it is derived through a process known as Piezoelectricity

Once my system is established, the result would be virtually free and continuous supply of electricity.
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Posted by owlmirror at 11:54 AM : Nov 17, 2008


Go take a nap. You''re insane.

[deathofusa]

It weighs 2890 pounds, which is the average weight for a car in it''''s class. My old Ford Ranger was 3028 pounds, for comparison.

My prius has all-around air bags and vehicle stability control, which does great in the snow.
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Posted by perk235 at 11:49 AM : Nov 17, 2008


What about your legs? Would they survive? Looks kind of small.

[RichardOwlMirror]

We do not have enough power plants
Posted by deathofUSA
----------------------

I never mentioned Power Plants.
Your assumptions just go to show how far in the past your thinking really is. Individually, I''ve always been 30-40 years ahead of the curve. It takes time to bring people like you along, kicking and screaming into the future.

[mytoosense]

Bush is planning to leave the White House the way Saddam left Kuwait.
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Posted by mytoosense at 10:47 AM : Nov 17, 2008

And your suggestions for energy would be what?
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Posted by deathofUSA

No, no lets drill next to our national parks, next we can drill in our national parks. Let put a drilling rig on top of Teddy Roosevelt''s head at Mount Rushmore.

After all, this pesky national park thing was his idea and his fifth cousin was a Democrat!

[perk235]

Thank you. And the question I have been asking him about where would the electricity come from for his electric car has gone unanswered. We do not have enough power plants to take on more usage. No one will allow more power plants be built so what''''s the answer? Why would I want an electric car that I can''''t charge? Or that is going to cost me an arm and a leg to charge?
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How about reducing consumption with cars of increased gas mileage. My Prius gets 50 mpg, and weights 2890 pounds, has side and front air bags and vehicle stability control.