"In a stunning political turnabout, the House voted Tuesday to end a long-standing ban on new offshore oil drilling as part of an energy bill aimed at rebutting Republican election-year attacks that the Democratic majority wasn't doing enough to try to ease the public's pain at the pump," writes Richard Simon of the Los Angles Times. Adds Simon, "The measure would let states decide whether to permit energy exploration 50 to 100 miles off their coasts." There has been a concern that new drilling sites could impact rural communities on the coasts, but at such distances there appears to be little chance for a significant impact.
"The bill includes a number of Democratic priorities, including repealing $18 billion in oil industry tax breaks and using the money to promote renewable energy and energy efficiency," adds Simon. "It would require utilities to generate 15 percent of their electricity by 2020 from cleaner sources, such as the sun and wind. And it would force oil companies to pay additional royalties for drilling in the Gulf of Mexico," which already has many oil drilling platforms -- though not in Florida, where opposition to offshore drilling is stout.
The bill has drawn criticism from President Bush and members of the Republican minority in Congress, who say it does not do enough to increase domestic oil production. Writes Simon, "With Congress set to adjourn before the end of the month -- and partisan tensions growing as election day nears -- there may not be enough time for the House and the Senate to reconcile any differences."
Many people living in rural communities have expressed support for offshore drilling as a means of controlling rising energy costs. Rural communities have been harder hit by the recent spike in energy costs because they typically have longer commutes and no public transportation. (Read more)
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