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Politics : Formerly About Advanced Micro Devices -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Jim McMannis who wrote (278892)	3/7/2006 5:15:20 PM
From: Road Walker	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1574616

re: I'm an environmentalist but I think they could still open up some federal land out west. Maybe some strips along highways. Sell off Pendelton and it would go a long way to paying off the gov. debt.. No idea what Bushy wants to sell off. What do you think of current debate about drilling off the west coast (FL of course). John

To: Jim McMannis who wrote (278892)	3/7/2006 5:21:02 PM
From: Road Walker	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 1574616

Speaking of which... this would be amusing if it were not so typical of this congress. Truly amazing, I heard it on the radio but didn't believe it. State left off list for oil-drilling hearings By CORY REISS Sun Washington Bureau March 07. 2006 6:01AM WASHINGTON - The Minerals Management Service on Monday announced public hearings about an offshore leasing plan that would open 2 million acres south of Florida in the Gulf of Mexico to offshore oil and gas drilling - but not one hearing in Florida, where the plan has stirred worry and anger. A spokesman for the service, part of the Interior Department, said Florida is not considered "affected" by the proposal even though the waters are due south of the Panhandle, beginning 100 miles from shore. The department drew state offshore boundaries in January, making those waters "off" Louisiana instead and redefining which state is considered affected by activities there. The department released its five-year drilling plan covering 2007 to 2012 in February, using the new lines. Sen. Bill Nelson, a Democrat, called the omission "shocking" in a letter that a spokesman said would be sent today. He is demanding a hearing in Florida. In a statement Monday, Sen. Mel Martinez, a Republican, said he was "concerned and disappointed" about Florida being skipped. The 13 hearings in Alaska, Texas, Louisiana, Alabama and Virginia were announced as congressional activity about drilling near Florida begins to ramp up. Most of the Florida House delegation wrote Interior Secretary Gale Norton on Monday asking her to scrap plans to allow drilling in 2 million acres that begin 100 miles south of Pensacola. The area is part of a 6 million-acre tract known as Lease Sale Area 181 that begins 213 miles west of Tampa Bay. "Florida's congressional delegation will not simply roll over and let them annex the future of our pristine coastline to neighboring states," said Rep. Jim Davis, a Tampa Democrat and lead author of the letter to Norton. The letter from 21 of the 25 Florida House members from both parties asked Norton to drop the proposal for drilling east of the Alabama-Florida landline. The administration could lease in these waters without permission from Congress because existing drilling bans do not cover them, but lawmakers could change that with legislation. The letter is a show of near unanimity after splits in the Florida delegation, especially among Republicans, about how to handle efforts to drill off the Gulf coast. Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Chumuckla, sent his own letter emphasizing the importance of military training areas in the eastern Gulf and criticizing the lack of a hearing in Florida. The Florida House members also protested the new map that the Minerals Management Service, known as MMS, released in January. The service said at the time that the lines were merely administrative, but their application in the five-year plan and in setting public hearings about it show the maps are having real effects. The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee is scheduled to take up a measure Wednesday that would open even more of Area 181 - 3.6 million acres beginning 100 miles from Pensacola. Sen. Pete Domenici of New Mexico, chairman of the committee, expects the panel to pass his bill. Three Florida Republican House members also are hammering out new legislation that they believe to be a compromise between the positions of drilling supporters and Florida's two senators, who have stood in the way of past deals. Rep. Cliff Stearns of Ocala said he is working on legislation with Reps. Miller and Michael Bilirakis of Tarpon Springs "to enhance the protections for Florida's coast from potential new offshore drilling." The three are writing legislation that would give Florida a buffer of 150 miles and bar drilling in a small portion of Area 181 that lies within a military training area. In those respects, their plan is expected to mirror legislation introduced by Martinez and Nelson that would allow drilling in up to 1.2 million acres beginning 150 miles from shore. But unlike the senators' Florida-only bill, the House proposal would draw a 150-mile buffer around all coastal states and allow them to drop their drilling bans. The senators have argued the state Legislature and governor shouldn't be able to allow drilling in the protected zone and made their buffer zone permanent. It is unclear whether the senators would support allowing states to opt out of drilling bans. However, Martinez has participated in discussions with the House group.