Lift Six-Month Shallow Water Drilling Ban: Congressman (Charles Boustany (R))

[sabra]

Source: CNBC

President Obama should lift the six-month moratorium on shallow-water drilling that was imposed in response to the massive BP oil spill in the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico, said a Louisiana congressman.

“I don’t think you just take a knee-jerk approach to shutting everything down,” Congressman Charles Boustany (R) told CNBC. “There’s a responsible way to do this.”

Boustany is spearheading a bipartisan effort asking Obama to allow shallow-water drilling saying that it is safer than deep-water drilling, which is also subject to the moratorium.

Shallow water drilling "is a technologically mature industry with a great safety record for the past 40 years,” he said.

Read more: http://www.cnbc.com/id/37397806

[Oregone]

1. Be "bipartisan" and move it to a 6 week ban!

[maddezmom]

2. according to this, It has been lifted

CHANGES IN COASTAL OIL POLICY
The administration announced the following steps on offshore drilling:

• Shallow water drilling permits can be approved again for operations within 500 feet of water.

• Work on mobile rigs doing exploratory drilling in deep water is halted. Covers about 30 rigs.

• Ban continues for at least six months an on all new applications for permits to drill in deep water, defined as 500 feet or greater below the surface.

• Shell's planned exploratory well in the Arctic region is on hold for at least a year.

• August 2010 lease sale in the western Gulf canceled.

• An expected 2012 lease sale for a tract about 50 miles off the Virginia coast is called off.

more:http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/deepwaterhorizon/7026038.html

[sandnsea]

3. It's new drilling, right?

I keep reading that he's shutting down all deepwater drilling, but when I read the details, it always says new permits. What am I missing?

[maddezmom]

5. that is how I'm reading it as well. No more permits to explore for deepwater wells

producing well are exempt and shallow water wells can be permitted.

[aquart]

6. Nothing.

Of course, nobody's lying to you.

[sandnsea]

8. I don't think anyone is lying

I think they're just confused. The Republicans want to rile up shit so they say Obama Has Banned Drilling!!! The media wants to help, so they repeat it. Those who wish he would ban drilling pick it up and repeat it some more. And when a clarification has to be issued because people can't flippin' read, then there will be another sell-out freak-out.

[ejpoeta]

4. you guys are all knee jerk! it's not knee jerk to put a hold on drilling while people check

and make sure everything is safe and meeting requirements.

[okieinpain]

7. man which is it obama admin is doing to much drilling or not

enough drilling. I'm confused.

[tanyev]

9. No, it's very simple.

Whatever Obama is doing is the wrong thing. It's the GOP's new 1st commandment.