10 Dems warn Kerry: Don't expand offshore drilling in climate change bill

[babylonsister]

10 Dems warn Kerry: Don't expand offshore drilling in climate change bill
By Ben Geman - 03/25/10 11:07 AM ET


Ten coastal state Senate Democrats say they'll oppose a climate bill if it greatly expands offshore oil and gas drilling.

The warning was issued to Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) and the two other architects of upcoming energy and climate legislation.

snip//

The coastal Democrats, in a letter to the three this week, laud the effort to write a climate bill, noting their states are at risk from sea level rise, but say a major expansion of offshore drilling will cause them to drop their support.

“But we hope that as you forge legislation, you are mindful that we cannot support legislation that will mitigate one risk only to put our coasts at greater peril from another source,” the 10 Democrats wrote.

The letter is signed by Democratic Sens. Bill Nelson (Fla.), Robert Menendez (N.J.), Sheldon Whitehouse (R.I.), Barbara Mikulski (Md.), Ben Cardin (Md.), Frank Lautenberg (N.J.), Ted Kaufman (Del.), Ron Wyden (Ore.), Jeff Merkley (Ore.) and Jack Reed (R.I.).

more...

http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/677-e2-wire/89049-coastal-dems-warn-kerry-against-big-drilling-expansion-in-climate-bill

[FarCenter]

1. Drill Florida's Gulf coast next

[polichick]

2. I'm with the 10 - more coastal drilling is idiotic. nt