Drilling on Public lands... its more than ANWR... a US Newswire alert.

[salin]

another reason to be concerned about this energy bill fiasco - and maybe there will be some news about it next week...:

I found this on google news (searching energy bill)

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=116-09262003

It appears to be a memo (to folks who do work with US Newswire - no idea who these folks are)...


Energy Bill, Gas Report Seek to Radically Shift Policy and Ramp Up Western Drilling; Telephone Media Briefing Sept. 30

9/26/03 12:00:00 PM


To: Assignment Desk, Daybook Editor and Environmental Reporter

Contact: David Slater of the Wilderness Society, 202-429-8441

News Advisory:

Recent activities by the Bush Administration and its allies in the oil and gas industry continue to place the Rocky Mountain West squarely in the crosshairs of America's energy debate. The oil and gas provisions of the Energy Bill conference draft signal a radical policy change that makes oil and gas development the dominant use of our public lands. Bolstering this effort is the National Petroleum Council's gas supply report (released on Sept. 25th), which exaggerates the amount of federal gas resources currently "off-limits" in the West.

-------more--------------

Let's keep our eyes open.

[salin]

1. and OFF SHORE drilling is a goal of that bill as well...

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/business/6852203.htm

Posted on Wed, Sep. 24, 2003

Offshore drilling foes rallying against energy bill draft
BILL KACZOR
Associated Press

PENSACOLA, Fla. - Congressional foes of offshore drilling are protesting plans to add a disputed inventory of oil and natural gas resources on the Outer Continental Shelf to an energy bill.

Opponents say it would lead to lifting a 20-year moratorium on drilling beneath most of the nation's coastal waters, including those off Florida.

The inventory was in neither the House nor Senate version of the bill, but showed up in a conference committee discussion draft released Wednesday.

"There's one word for this: O-I-L," Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., said in a telephone interview from Washington, D.C. "That's what's driving this whole thing, the oil lobby. They are hell bent that they're going to drill off the coasts of Florida and California."

more....

Anyone wonder why the conference committee work is going on with only republicans and behind closed doors? I read elsewhere that it was believed that industry was drafting sections of this new bill. Would explain how something that was in NEITHER original bill that is a RADICAL change in direction - suddenly shows up.

[salin]

2. More concern on this issue from Lousiana

Environmental group attacks energy bill plan
John Sullivan

September 25, 2003

LAFAYETTE — An environmental group Wednesday launched an attack against congressional plans to open up waters off the East and West coasts for oil exploration.

A House-Senate conference committee working on an energy bill calls for the use of seismic survey ships to look for potential oil and gas fields in waters now restricted.

The pending energy bill would open up waters off the coasts of Florida, the entire East Coast, California, Oregon and Washington along with Alaska’s Bristol Bay for exploration.

Environmental Defense called the move both short-sighted and potentially damaging to coastal fisheries and environmentally sensitive regions.

more: http://www.theadvertiser.com/business/html/9EDF7813-E75E-4856-8A0E-41C185B4536D.shtml

[Catch22Dem]

3. Kerry Quote

I thought what Kerry said about this was brilliant. He said, "We cannot drill ourselves out of this problem, we have to INVENT our way out."

[Robbien]

4. Just found another sneaky little add-on to this bill

Congressional Republicans developing an energy policy have agreed on a proposal that critics say would make it harder to require automakers to produce more fuel-efficient vehicles.

The Republican proposal Wednesday would bar the Transportation Department from increasing the mile-per-gallon average of automakers' fleets - known as fuel economy - if doing so would cost industry jobs or affect vehicle safety.

So in addition to destroying coastlines, they are trying to save gas guzzling cars. Some energy bill.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

7. It's not getting good press in swing states

Draft of GOP Energy Bill Riles Critics
H. JOSEF HEBERT
Associated Press

WASHINGTON - Congressional Republicans developing an energy policy have agreed on a proposal that critics say would make it harder to require automakers to produce more fuel-efficient vehicles.

Lawmakers also reaffirmed support for an inventory of oil and gas resources in coastal waters that now are off-limits to drilling.

The Republican proposal Wednesday would bar the Transportation Department from increasing the mile-per-gallon average of automakers' fleets - known as fuel economy - if doing so would cost industry jobs or affect vehicle safety.

Many GOP lawmakers have viewed such a requirement as common sense to avoid layoffs and a shift from larger cars. But many advocates for increased fuel economy say the government already takes such issues into account and that putting such a ban into law would hamstring the department.

"The practical effect of that is it allows auto companies to sue and delay any future fuel economy rule," said Daniel Becker, director of energy issues at the Sierra Club.

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/breaking_news/6851909.htm

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

8. and this from the NYT

Energy Bill Is Likely to Have Protection on Gasoline Additives

Lawmakers and industry lobbyists said today that they expected the emerging energy measure to provide liability protection for producers of a gasoline additive blamed for groundwater contamination as the chief negotiators said they would like to conclude the energy talks by next week.

Though Republicans writing the bill were differing over details of how to safeguard manufacturers of methyl tertiary butyl ether, or MTBE, from lawsuits, those close to the negotiations said the final proposal would likely grant the protection sought by key House Republicans with refineries in their districts.

A memorandum circulated today by the Oxygenated Fuels Association, which represents MTBE producers, said it was clear that the liability provisions sought by the House would be included though it was less certain whether the bill would establish a timetable for an outright ban on the chemical as sought by the Senate. House members argue that the question of a ban should be left to the states.

Granting the MTBE producers protection from suits over costs associated with cleanup of the chemical would provide critics of the measure with another focal point since some members of Congress and conservation groups consider the liability protection an unwarranted benefit to companies that should bear responsibility for their product.

Local officials and water system operators also oppose the provision.

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/26/politics/26ENER.html?ex=1065153600&en=d262338aeda6c340&ei=5062&partner=GOOGLE

[izzie]

5. Think this is in the un-ground water that goe s from ND to Tex I think

I believe the gas is puttung salt water into the gas wells and so long to the good water. Some thing to think about when you think this un-ground water is so big and is needed so. These corp just do not care.What will those states do? Will Enron step into do the water for them?

[sandnsea]

6. This might wake people up

Salt water in the ground water. Easy to understand and alarming enough to make people learn more about this bill.

[salin]

9. Good News - something to call about

Senators vow to stop potential drilling

DAVE SOMMERS , Staff Writer 09/26/2003


Vowing to stop potential drilling off the Jersey Shore, senators Jon Corzine and Frank Lautenberg yesterday vowed to fight what they claim is renewed efforts by the federal government to compile an inventory of potential reserves on the Outer Continental Shelf.

The two veteran Democrats made their announcement in response to a draft energy bill they said is currently being put together in the House and Senate conference.

"We were shocked to learn that the (gas and oil) inventory language is being considered by the conference committee," Corzine and Lautenberg said in a letter sent to U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici and U.S. Rep. William Tauzin, respective chairmen of the Senate and House energy committees.

Corzine went on to claim that the request for inventory was not included in the energy legislation, which passed both houses of Congress earlier this year.

"This is clearly a first step toward drilling off the New Jersey shore, which we strongly oppose, and we urge you to remove this provision," the two Democrat senators wrote.

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=10226240&BRD=1697&PAG=461&dept_id=44551&rfi=6

Call and support the NJ Senators. Everyone in a state with a shore - call your Senators and ask them to support Senators Corzine and Lautenberg

[salin]

10. Presidential Candidate Graham weighs in and blasts Delay

Posted on Fri, Sep. 26, 2003

Graham blasts DeLay comments
Senator protests plan for inventory of oil-gas reserves
By Bill Kaczor
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

PENSACOLA - Sen. Bob Graham on Thursday said comments by House Majority Leader Tom DeLay have him worried that efforts to open an Alaskan wildlife refuge to oil exploration could lead to lifting a moratorium on drilling offshore from Florida's beaches.

Graham, D-Fla., raised the issue in a letter to leaders of a conference committee trying to reach a compromise on an energy bill. He also wrote to oppose an expansion of the bill to include an inventory of offshore oil and natural gas reserves.

------------- snip ---------------

Graham, a member of the energy conference committee, cited a report in Roll Call, a newspaper covering Capitol Hill, that quoted DeLay, R-Texas, as saying the fight to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to drilling is symbolic and would set a precedent for other sensitive areas.

"I assume that Florida's pristine beaches are included under this heading," Graham wrote. He added that DeLay's comments at a closed-door meeting of Republican House leaders are proof the inventory "is far more sinister than mere information gathering," as supporters contend.

more: http://www.tallahassee.com/mld/democrat/news/local/6863555.htm

[salin]

11. kick

[Booberdawg]

12. kick