Jack Gerard
Jane Van Ryan
One year ago, the 30-year old ban on offshore drilling along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts expired, opening the opportunity for the United States to drill for more of its own oil and natural gas. What has happened since then to make America more energy self-sufficient?
Nothing.
The wheels of government continued to turn, of course, and the debate over offshore drilling made occasional headlines. A Five-Year Leasing Plan was issued by the Bush Administration, but was put on hold by the Obama Administration. Hearings were held in several states. A court ruling effectively delayed some Alaskan plans for oil and natural gas until the government has reassessed environmental effects. A Senate committee approved a proposal to permit drilling in the eastern Gulf of Mexico and since the ban expired, more than 600,000 individuals submitted comments about the development of comprehensive offshore energy strategy for the Outer Continental Shelf.
Yet, a year has passed with no real change in America's energy situation. During the first eight months of 2009, the United States imported 64 percent of the oil it used every day, and increased emphasis on wind and solar energy isn't likely to alter U.S. dependence on foreign oil. Wind and solar can't fill your gas tank or power the 18-wheelers that deliver goods and services.
This country runs on oil. It will continue to run on oil for many years to come. America must have a secure supply of oil.
The United States has an abundance of oil within its own borders. Tapping it could increase energy security, create thousands of jobs, and generate $1.7 trillion in tax revenues for the federal, local and state governments. And the oil and natural gas can be produced safely.
The solution to the nation's energy and many of its economic problems is right under our feet. Stop delaying. Drill now.
For more information, read our Offshore Access Primer below, and visit the Action Center to tell Congress to allow for access to domestic oil and natural gas.
Why Obama has not publically meet with "BIG OIL"
is intellectually racist of him. Obama could take this opportunity to educate voters on oil production issues and projections. In my last film, Obama attacked and profiled all Big Oil as evil. How can he talk to them now? Yet they could be so helpful right now. How sad. I thought he was smarter than that.
How did it get to this point? I wish I could blame API for it's lack of media foresight, but I can't. Too much respect for at least trying. But God knows you/we could have done better.
As a liberal democrat, I will be able to tell my liberal friends that they where wrong about depending on CAFE standards to be a panacea 25 years ago, cause as you see know from my research they didn't support the high cafe cars. And they are wrong about not increasing domestic production by 1 MBD in ten years to help the trade deficit, dollar, national security, growth, etc.... What's next?
JANE what has the API done in the last year? DO THIS COMMERCIAL... Show that Drilling would actually cut co2 commercial. The oil that is shipped here from Chad, Angola, etc, burns dirty bunker fuel, even clean fuel pollutes, so all this co2 from these tankers would be eliminated if domestic drilling increased. Yes? No/ write an article on this. See where it goes.
joe vecchio
Jack do you agree? If not, why. What more can the API and Energy Tomorrow do? We have another year ahead of us. What will Jack and Jane do to change the negative image of OIL? It's your job.
You need a new media concept for this year.
What is you plan for 2010? write an article about this so I know where we are going ten years from now.
Thank you two. I appreciate your effort. Appreciate mine.