Today marks the one-year anniversary of the expiration of the federal moratorium on offshore drilling on both coasts. So that begs the question: are we any closer to energy independence? Nope.
As we have seen here in Virginia, Governor Kaine has done everything he can to push the process further to the right, effectively delaying lease sales that were supposed to begin in 2011 into 2012 or beyond.
Bob McDonnell has tried to get Secretary Salazar’s attention, saying that the delay will cost Virginians thousands of jobs and millions of dollars in revenue. And, Creigh Deeds refuses to make any public comment about offshore drilling, so we’re not sure what he thinks (not altogether different from his tax policy).
Update: Actually, we might now. Deeds has been endorsed by the Sierra Club which said the following during today’s endorsement…
“Drilling off our coast simply isn’t worth the risk.”
So it is likely Deeds opposes offshore drilling in Virginia.
In the House, Republican Whip Eric Cantor recently penned a letter to Salazar too. The Culpeper Star Exponent reports:
“Our nation continues to develop strategic policies to bolster our dire economic outlook, and the jobs and resources that would be created by energy development in the Outer Continental Shelf are not to be ignored,” he said in the letter to Salazar.
While Cantor said “there is no doubt” the U.S. must transition its energy demands to renewable and alternative sources, he also highlighted “Virginia’s unique ability to provide our nation with the energy needed to power our economy.”
But are we any closer?
Certainly there are some things that we can do, if only just to find out what exists out there.
Since the last exploration was done, eight tracks have been replaced by cassettes by CDs and now MP3 players; we’ve had five presidents (three of them serving two terms!); there was still a cold war; we had black and white TV sets; MTV still played music.
A lot has happened in nearly three decades. Including major advances in technology and safety in the oil and gas industry (after all, they’re the last ones who want a spill – they’d be losing revenue).
There are all sorts of theories regarding what we have off the coast, but until we allow for some exploration, we’re all just grasping at straws. Especially when we’re making new discoveries in the Gulf of Mexico.
Can we please get some movement towards exploration that way we can have a reasoned public debate?
While I’m all for developing alternative energy, it’s not going to serve our energy needs over the next thirty years. We have to develop the resources we have now too. Energy Tomorrow writes:
“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.”
Delaying is holding Virginia hostage. It’s time to move forward.
