Quote:
Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce
Close to shore drilling has been limited for awhile, probably 'not in my back yard' and 'out of sight, out of mind' thinking. Whereas out in deep water, it couldn't possibly mess up the shore areas, could it?  |
Yep for those reasons as well. It originally started back in 1982, when the Democratically led Congress restricted more and more areas through appropriations.
Through this annual process, Congress chose to deny the funding necessary to conduct leasing of new offshore areas to oil companies. The restrictions were renewed annually. This went on until recently through both R & D led congresses until the price for oil skyrocketed.
There have been several legislative efforts to eliminate them over the last couple years by the R's, but none none have been successful. They have been rebuked by the environmentally conscious D's and their majority in the house.