Romney Energy Plan Would Expand Oil Drilling on U.S. Land and Offshore

[highplainsdem]

Source: NY Times

HOUSTON — Mitt Romney plans to unveil an energy plan Thursday morning in Hobbs, N.M., that would allow states more control over the development of energy resources on federal lands within their borders, as well as aggressively expand offshore oil and gas drilling — including along the coasts of Virginia and the Carolinas — as part of a broader effort to reach energy independence.

-snip-

The Romney campaign released the proposal, complete with a 21-page white paper, Wednesday evening as part of an overall energy plan that includes granting states more regulatory power over drilling on federal lands, revitalizing the nuclear power industry, and approving the Keystone XL pipeline to carry more Canadian oil to refineries in the United States.

Romney campaign officials emphasized the importance of opening more oil and gas drilling on federal lands, a theme that Mr. Romney is likely to trumpet Thursday on his visit to New Mexico, where the oil industry hopes to open more federal areas for exploration and production.

“What Governor Romney is proposing is that state governments, which already control the development of energy resources on their own and private lands within their borders, would also control the development of energy resources on federal lands within their borders,” said Oren Cass, the campaign’s domestic policy director, in a conference call with reporters Wednesday.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/23/us/politics/romney-tries-to-refocus-campaign-on-economy-and-obama-turns-to-education.html

[awoke_in_2003]

1. Yeah, we can't do...

wind power like Germany. Just think about the ecological disaster we would have if there was a massive wind leak




just in case

[Arctic Dave]

2. Same old schtick from the repugs

Drill ourselves to "independence" is a childlike fairy tale they just can't seem to shake.


I'm sure we will get the latest version of the mythical oilfield we can't drill "cause of the enviroMENTALS" soon.

[Historic NY]

3. I wonder how he is going to get around importing 40% from Canada....

we just saw how great tar sand gas is with the latest fiasco from BP. He could drill a thousand hole and still not get there.

[Rincewind]

4. All the major oil companies

have hundreds, if not thousands, of oil wells they have drilled, then plugged. That's what all the exploration is about, they drill a test well, is the find nothing, they move on to the next spot. If they hit oil, they plug the well for later development. The Deepwater Horizon rig that blew up over a year ago was an exploration rig, not a production rig. They were getting ready to plug it and move on when it blew. Production oil rigs, especially deep water rigs, are very expensive. Once one is in place, it's left there until all the oil is pumped out. If the oil companies started pumping oil from all the wells they have plugged, the price would drop to nearly nothing.

[RickFromMN]

5. I would love to believe this is true--that oil companies have capped wells to keep the price high.

I'm not sure what search terms to use to verify this assertion.

Can people provide references please?

[daybranch]

6. It does not follow=non sequitur

If states control them why would they be still federal lands??? In law this would amount to theft-what kind of logic do they have? None , I guess. What happened to their theory of property over people? Well, anything to attack Obama. When is the great wizard coming from Kolob with his total redefining of their agenda just in time for the election. They sure need some help with their thinking.

[Danmel]

7. Probably includes Anwr

Kiss the polar bears goodbye