Florida teens graduate from Guard?s Youth program !,Becomeafanonfacebook |333333333333| washingtonthegulfoilspillnotonlyhasalteredthelandscapeofthegulfcoast,italsohascompletelychangedthedebateovernationalenergypolicy.Drill,baby,drill,whichdrillingproponentschanteduntilafewweeksago,hasbeenreplacedbyspill,baby,spill,fromopponents.Politiciansfromthewestcoasttofloridaproposebanningnewdrillingontheoutercontinentalshelf.Lawmakersfromoil-producingstatesliketexasandlouisiana,however,warnthatshuttingoffoffshorereservoirshurtsdomesticproductionandincreasesrelianceonforeignoil.Environmentalistscounterthatitstimeforrenewablessuchaswindandsolar.Cantheu.S.Relyonthatstrategy,however,especiallyshortterm?Presidentbarackobamaappearedtoanswerthatfridaybysayingthefederalgovernmentwouldrampupitsenvironmentaloversightofexplorationbutthatoffshoredrillingwasstillkeytou.S.Energypolicy.Now,asivesaidbefore,domesticoildrillingcontinuestobeonepartofanoverallenergystrategythatnowincludesmoreclean,renewableenergyandenergyefficiencythanatanyothertimeinourhistory,obamasaid.Butitsabsolutelyessentialthatgoingforwardweputinplaceeverynecessarysafeguardandprotectionsothatatragedylikethisoilspilldoesnothappenagain.Justweeksbeforetheapril20bpoilrigblowoutwhichhassentatleast5,000barrelsadayspewingintothegulfobamaannouncedtheendofamoratoriumonoilexplorationineastcoastwaters.Thatsnowoffthetable,astheadministrationsuspendedallnewdrillingproposalsfor90days.Whatyouplainlyseeisarethinkingbycongressandbytheadministrationaboutwhattodo,saidwesleywarren,thedirectorofprogramsforthenaturalresourcesdefensecouncil,anenvironmentalgroup.Ournationalenergypolicyisbroken,andnothingdemonstratesthatmorethanthisspill.Publicsupportforoffshoreoildrillinghasdropped,accordingtoarecentpollbythepewresearchcenter,whichfoundthat54percentofrespondentssaidtheyfavoredallowingmoreoffshoredrillingforoilandgasinu.S.Waters,downfrom63percentinearlyfebruaryand68percentinapril2009.Thepollwasconductedmay6-9among994adults.Virtuallyallofthedeclineinsupportforoffshoredrillinghasoccurredamongdemocratsandindependents,asrepublicansremainassupportiveastheywerebeforethespill,accordingtothepewresearchcenter.Aproposalbysens.Johnkerry,d-mass.,Andjoelieberman,aconnecticutindependent,madepublicthisweekandthatsbeingshapedintolegislationwouldputseverelimitsondrillingoptionsbygivingstatesnumerouschecksonfederalpermits.Itsashiftinthinking,warrensaid.Thisproposalamonthagowouldhavelookedfairlydifferent.Houseenergyandcommercecommitteechairmanhenrywaxman,d-calif.,Saidduringahearingwednesday,onelessonisalreadyapparentfromthecatastropheinthegulf:weneedanenergypolicythatemphasizesclean,renewablesourcesofenergy.Whenhewentontosaythatitwastimetotakeontheoilcompanies,rep.Joebartonoftexas,thepanelsrankingrepublican,waslividaboutthedigatbigoilasifthatwasanadversarialsituation.Theresareasonwereanoil-basedeconomy,bartonsaid.Therestremendousproductivitypotential.Theonlyplacetofindrealoildepositsinmeaningfulquantitiesisintheoutercontinentalshelf.Inresponsetocallstostopfurtheroffshoredrilling,bartonsaid,donotusethisaccidenttofenceoffwhatisprobablythebiggestdomesticenergyresourcewehaveontheamericancontinent.Sen.Marylandrieu,d-la.,Astrongsupporterofexpandeddomesticproduction,saidtheamericanpeoplewererealisticaboutthenationsenergyneeds.Iamencouragedbytheamericanpeoplesabilitytoseethroughtheemotionalaspectsofthistragedyandunderstandthecountryneedstoproducemoreoilandgasdomestically,notless,landrieusaid.Itisclearthatthepublicrealizesthatevenaswemovetocleaner,renewableenergy,wewillstillneedoiltogetusthroughthattransition.Thefederalmoratoriumondrillingoffshore,whichdatedtotheexxonvaldezoilspillof1989,wasliftedin2008bycongressandpresidentgeorgew.Bush,atatimeofhighgasolineprices.Morefrommcclatchyoilspill:bphadwrongdiagramtocloseblowoutpreventergulfoilspillinquiryfocusesonroleofcostlydrillingmudsincespill,fedshavegiven27waiverstooilcompaniesingulfresearchersworryaboutoildispersantsimpact,toomcclatchysoilspillcoveragefollowthelatestpoliticsnewsatmcclatchysplanetwashington |22222222|
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