Reducing our dependence on foreign oil... by starting to drill more in Alaska
Bristol Bay in Alaska has been free of oil drilling due to a ban on it by the U.S. government since 1990. That is soon to change, however, as both the Senate and President Bush have lifted the bans. The lifting of the bans was urged by Republican Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska. Environmentalists, however, are concerned with the effects drilling in the bay may have on the fishing of salmon, cod and crab in the area. A shot of the salmon in the bay is above.
Oh, if you are wondering where you have heard of Bristol Bay before... perhaps it was that one oil spill. What was that again? Oh yeah, the Exxon Valdez oil spill. Needless to say, not everyone is happy about the lifting of the bans and the plans that go along with it.
In other news, a seperate ban has also been lifted in the Gulf of Mexico. The lifting of that ban also makes drilling possible in those waters.
[Source: Yahoo! News]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
fil 3:12PM (1/10/2007)
There will be significant opportunities for study and public comment before any oil and gas development could take place in these areas.
Reply
Murc 9:31PM (1/10/2007)
good news.
Its about time we start drilling up there...we have a bunch of oil in our backyard and were financing our enemy's military to get their oil.
Hope we start drilling soon.
Reply
Keitha 2:06AM (1/11/2007)
The Exxon Valdez oil spill was caused by DRUNK DRIVING, not by drilling. Have no fear - there are no studies showing any correlation between drilling for oil and drunk driving. There is no reason to believe that more drilling will result in future drunk tanker driving. However, there appears to be a strong correlation between drilling for oil now and your ability to go out and drive your car in the future.
And, oh yeah, that little spill in 1989 happened in Prince William Sound, about 1100 nautical miles away from Bristol Bay.
Reply
yes_i_am_an_american 8:57AM (1/11/2007)
Anyone ever bother to look and see how much of our oil comes from the middle east? Not as much as you may think.
The lift on this ban is just a handout to big oil.
http://www.eia.doe.gov/pub/oil_gas/petroleum/data_publications/company_level_imports/current/import.html
Reply
CIDI 12:05PM (1/12/2007)
Hmm, OK, we've got a resource we're totally dependent on that everyone from Shell to Al Gore says is increasingly running out and our solution is to dig it up faster?? Save it for when we really need it, and in the meantime wean ourselves off it as best we can.
Reply