Obama considers offshore drilling off coast, he called it a “tough” decision.

(AP file photo) — Environmentalist already are criticizing a plan by President Obama, announced today, to allow oil and gas drilling off the shore of Virginia and possibly other East Coast states.

The president said the drilling would be part of an overall plan to reduce the country’s dependence on foreign fuel in favor of renewable energy and domestic sources.

He called it a “tough” decision. It seems that he is trying to win favor from Republicans for his climate change bill, which include a cap-and-trade scheme to reduce climate warming emissions that they don’t like. Read the Associated Press story here.

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation has joined other conservation organizations in saying this is bad policy.

In a statement, the bay foundation said the coastline of Virginia represents the “largest, most intact coastal wilderness on the East Coast” and has won several designations including as a UN International Biosphere Reserve and a U.S. Department of the Interior National Natural Landmark.

The foudation president, Will Baker, said: “Off shore drilling creates a new pollution source, one capable of significant, even devastating environmental damage from drilling, transportation, storage or refinement. Taken together, the totality of the potential harm is too great a risk for the Chesapeake Bay, which EPA already officially lists as impaired.”

He cited Obama’s executive order last year for a national strategy to clean up pollution in the Chesapeake Bay. Obama called the bay one of this nation’s priority waters. That, he said, is incompatible with drilling offshore because that ocean water flushes the bay.

He, as other groups, said the nation ought to focus more on renewable energy like solar and wind, including offshore wind power.  

The ocean conservation group Oceana also challenged the notion that drilling is needed to support jobs. It cited a University of Massachusetts Political Economy Research Institute’s study that said for every $1 million of U.S. investment in clean technology – such as wind, solar, smart grid work and building retrofits — three times as many jobs are created than if the same amount were invested in the oil and gas industry. See the study here. 

What do you think???

So, do you think this is not a bad compromise? A necessary compromise with pro-drilling forces who could derail Obama’s larger energy policy? Or are you disappointed with this decision?

Baltimore Sun

SURFSPOTS-GPS 

International News Magazine

Environment News