President Obama's announcement that he will pursue off-shore drilling along much of the Eastern Seaboard spurred this week's "bonus" Reader Participation Survey.
What do you think of drilling rigs being planted off the coasts of Assateague Island, Cape Hatteras, Cape Lookout, and Canaveral national seashores, not to mention Cumberland Island National Park?
With questionable reserves, -- Interior Department estimates say the areas proposed to be opened to exploration contain about a three-year supply of oil and between two and three years' worth of natural gas -- are the risks to the environment acceptable?
Comments
Not a phony. Just smart enough to realize that it is a bad idea to rely on others for our oil, that while we grow our alternatives, oil will still be needed, and that when it comes to social and environmental impacts drilling platforms out at sea appear, and in many ways are, minimal.
It's a horrible idea for political, policy, and moral reasons. Political, because it's undercut support for a climate bill from usually reliable Senators and environmental/progressive groups; policy, because of all the potential damage to sensitive habitats and all the other reasons supporting the years-long moratorium on offshore drilling; and moral, because it demonstrates to the American people that we can stay addicted to oil, always searching for our next fix, forever.
Please, let's look at alternative energy sources. How about wind, wave, solar....before drilling!