Obama admin: No New Oil Drilling in Eastern Gulf of Mexico for 7 Years

[Clio the Leo]

AP source: Gov't won't end drilling ban off Fla.
President Barack Obama's administration won't allow any new oil drilling in the eastern Gulf of Mexico for at least the next seven years because of the BP oil spill.

By BRENDAN FARRINGTON
Associated Press
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. —

President Barack Obama's administration won't allow any new oil drilling in the eastern Gulf of Mexico for at least the next seven years because of the BP oil spill.

A senior administration official told The Associated Press on Wednesday that drilling leases won't be considered in the waters off Florida as part of the change. He spoke on condition of anonymity because the decision hadn't been announced yet.

He said that because of the BP spill, the administration now understands the need to elevate safety and environmental standards. Before the spill, the administration had considered a plan to allow drilling in the eastern Gulf.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2013564470_apusgulfoilspillflorida.html

[Enrique]

1. woo hoo

a good sign. Obama going back to the Democratic (i.e. correct) position. :thumbsup:

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[ProSense]

3. Oh please

"The President is WEAK!!"

Three recs proves it!!!

[Clio the Leo]

4. .....

;)

[polichick]

5. This is good news, especially in light of Florida's new throwback Gov. and Sen. nt

[Beetwasher]

6. What A Corporate Shill! Of Course This Must Be Part Of Some Diabolical Plan To Fuck Us!!

Right? Because we all know a corporate shill like Obama must have some ulterior motives for doing this that somehow benefits his big business benefactors.

[ProSense]

7. Cheers, jeers for offshore drilling pullback

Cheers, jeers for offshore drilling pullback

<...>

The Chamber is attacking the decision.

“By continuing to keep most of America’s abundant oil and natural gas resources under lock and key, the Obama administration is ensuring that we will continue to increase our dependence on foreign oil, which threatens our national security,” Karen Harbert, president and CEO of the U.S. Chamber’s Institute for 21st Century Energy, said in a statement.



“In addition, this decision will cost us many thousands of well-paying jobs that would have been created both directly and indirectly in regions that badly need them, making this a major lost opportunity for our economy,” she added.

But Jackie Savitz of the green group Oceana cheered the decision.

“We are elated that the Atlantic coast and the Eastern Gulf, which were in the cross-hairs for oil and gas drilling, are now in the clear. We will work tirelessly to keep it that way to protect our priceless coasts, our coastal economies and marine ecosystems. We know there is no safe way to drill for oil and gas, and we don’t want to see another spill like the one we watched all through the spring and summer,” said Savitz, the group’s senior campaign director.

<...>

[WI_DEM]

8. That Obama! He's just like Bush.

[Kdillard]

9. I will wait for the official announcement but this is great news.

[Milo_Bloom]

10. Good news.... for now.

It is, in reality, only a 7 year delay on the inevitable.. UNLESS we actually see some of that change we we were promised.

[fatbuckel]

11. Yikes! You people are never satisfied! Sounds like the "others" are here.

[zulchzulu]

12. Aw come on! We're busy circular-firing on each other over Obama! This isn't fair!

Kidding...