Florida off-shore drilling to be voted on

This Congress ?lame-duck? session is about to use their last week in power to exploit our coasts to make their industry friends happy.

This week the House is voting on a bill (S. 3711) that would benefit the oil industry by opening up more of our coastal areas to off-shore drilling -- starting with Florida.

Despite what the oil industry would have us believe, drilling along Florida's coast won't lower energy prices or decrease our dependence on oil. These new areas would produce an estimated 26 days of oil and 34 days of natural gas at current consumption rates, and not until at least 2013. (Minerals Management Service).


It won't get us any closer to real renewable energy solutions, and it won't do anything to help coastal areas devastated by hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
In fact, they're even more vulnerable to future disasters. Hurricanes Katrina and Rita caused over 9 million gallons of oil to be spilled, US Coast Guard, 5-08-06

Ask your representative to oppose this bill and protect our coasts -- not industry profit.

I must strongly disagree! This bill's purpose is not to open Florida's coast to mass drilling. It also should not be viewed as a way to 'fix' energy problems. It will, however, go a long way toward helping restore miles and miles of wetlands lost over the years to natural and not-so-natural erosion. Do the link:

http://www.slld.net/csimage.html

Few people have any concept of why Louisiana's wetlands are vital, and it has nothing to do with finding a nice spot to boil crawfish and drink beer. A whopping amount of petroleum we all use is either extracted from or refined in our state and our waters. The royalties we recieve in return are criminally low in light of the fact that we live with the consequences of said activity. Jobs are great, but unsightly refineries, canals and pipelines that facilitate petroleum flow demolishing wetland ecology and the consequence of losing your hurricane barrier sucks. Really sucks. And we have the ability to reverse the wetland loss if we get the revenue to do so. That revenue will be provided by this bill. In my opinion, it is terribly irresponsible of you to make the statement that "it won't do anything to help coastal areas devastated by hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
In fact, they're even more vulnerable to future disasters." That is false and wrong. Will it solve our dependency on fossil fuels? Nope. Will the big oil/Bush kabal benefit? I don't know. What I can tell you for a fact is Bush isn't too crazy about this concept of increasing our royalties. Now to be fair, there will be new areas open to drilling. But it isn't like you will see platforms wrapping the state from Pensacola to Jacksonville. I have included a map of the coast and how it will impacted. And remember, these things will be 100 miles offshore. 100 miles! That makes a big spill incident that has any sort of beach impact mighty unlikely. By the way, I am willing to bet the USCG figure on the amount of oil spilled in the storm is in large part explained by a Murphy oil refinery that was demolished in St Bernard Parish that lost all of its oil...it wasn't like every platform in the Gulf was erupting Texas tea into the ocean and ruining everything.

I encourage everyone to contact there congresspeople to support this bill!

...This bill's ..... will, however, go a long way toward helping restore miles and miles of wetlands lost over the years to natural and not-so-natural erosion. ........ And remember, these things will be 100 miles offshore. 100 miles! That makes a big spill incident that has any sort of beach impact mighty unlikely. ...

You actually think that allowing off shore drilling will save the wetlands?

Are you not aware of the detrimental environmental impact of drilling in the Gulf?

You are not concerned about Gulf coast drilling 100 miles off shore?

Well so much for your credibility.

You actually think that allowing off shore drilling will save the wetlands?

Are you not aware of the detrimental environmental impact of drilling in the Gulf?

You are not concerned about Gulf coast drilling 100 miles off shore?

Well so much for your credibility.

Hows this for credibility;I actually live on the coast and have seen with my own eyes what happens to wetlands when there is drilling and petroleum processing. It is terribly naive to think this is going to stop anytime soon. So, we might as well use the $$$ to RESTORE a wetland, as is provided for in this bill, rather than get all worked-up about the Bush family and big oil. Seriously, where are your facts regarding damaging Florida wetlands? :idontno:

You actually think that allowing off shore drilling will save the wetlands?

Are you not aware of the detrimental environmental impact of drilling in the Gulf?

You are not concerned about Gulf coast drilling 100 miles off shore?

Well so much for your credibility.

Furthermore, this conservative rag seems to favor my position. Credibility indeed:funn:
http://travel2.nytimes.com/2006/10/23/opinion/23mon1.html

Hows this for credibility;I actually live on the coast and have seen with my own eyes what happens to wetlands when there is drilling and petroleum processing. .....

You want more off shore drilling which you already know is harmful to the environment?

Why would you support more off shore drilling when you already know its ill effects?

Your own observations reveal your faulty logic .

Googling for articles to support your untenable position is just a desperate attempt to gain credibility.

I support restoration of the wetlands especially around New Orleans with a comprehensive environmental plan but absolutely not by the ?robbing Peter to pay Paul? approach you are suggesting.

You want more off shore drilling which you already know is harmful to the environment?

Why would you support more off shore drilling when you already know its ill effects?

Your own observations reveal your faulty logic .

Googling for articles to support your untenable position is just a desperate attempt to gain credibility.

I support restoration of the wetlands especially around New Orleans with a comprehensive environmental plan but absolutely not by the ?robbing Peter to pay Paul? approach you are suggesting.

What I failed to communicate was that the drilling is not what causes the problems I have observed;it is the cutting of canals and pipline systems through the marsh that has been the killer. This isn't even on the table for Florida. In fact, the oil platforms are a pretty interesting little ecosystem in and of themselves, nothing short of an artificial reef. I have fished many times around these structures and have yet to see any black ooze or slicks. There are plenty of fish however, and all the little critters that are below them on the food chain that require clean, clear water to live. The concept that the rigs destroy everything is bunk. And I would be careful about accusing people of Googling stuff...your original post looks really similar to something I saw on an environmental action website...but I know you're above cutting and pasting, right? :roll:

Skunkey, What the heck! You like Gulf drilling money because it will help your backyard. You know those wells out there don't spew rose water. When the oil globs show up in Walton County it will be too late. Louisiana is a perfect example of what the oil industry can do for a state environmentally in the name of jobs. Come on now....come back from the dark side. Pretty please.

Skunkey, What the heck! You like Gulf drilling money because it will help your backyard. You know those wells out there don't spew rose water. When the oil globs show up in Walton County it will be too late. Louisiana is a perfect example of what the oil industry can do for a state environmentally in the name of jobs. Come on now....come back from the dark side. Pretty please.

Bob, we all want a nice clean environment. But I think it is somewhat extreme to assume that rigs going up in the gulf will result in globs of oil mixing with pristine SOWAL sand. Do just a little research into rig diving and rig fishing and you might be interested in what you find. Like I said above, from what I have seen, the rigs themselves are NOT the cause of Louisiana's coastal problems, it is the canals and piplines that have been etched into the marsh. The impact of oil globs and such is nil...we use these waters recreationally and to think there is a permanent oil slick is flat out WRONG! The bill in congress does not allow any sort of onshore refining, processing, or shipping of the petroleum.

Furthermore, I don't 'like gulf drilling money because it will help my backyard'. That is silly. The amount of petrochemical activity that goes on in south Louisiana would blow your mind. To lose it in the next Katrina would hurt this whole country. We bemoan our dependence on foreign oil, yet we want to fart around while playing Russian roulette with the country's busiest port, a source of so much of the seafood and sugar we all love and the domestic chemical industry. It is criminal to play politics with this in my opinion. Bottom line-rigs go up in Florida waters and odds are you will never even realize it. Louisiana's coast is restored and the nation is all that much more secure. If being on the 'dark side' means being correct, sorry, I am not leaving this camp😀

Look....if there is a massive oil leak from a drilling explosion, take a peek at the new industry we could have right here in the USA. There's always a bright side:



An attendant scraped oil off Ramil Mutukhov, 25, as he bathed in pure crude at Health Center in Naftalan. “It’s wonderful,” Mr. Mutukhov said.

Bathing in Black Gold for Health and Profit in Azerbaijan

While these new rigs seem like the problem, they are only symptoms of politics and States' want for money. Our real problem stems from the politics involved with our automotive industry and oil industry, keeping us in high demand for oil. Why are we (the people) not forcing our politicians to give up the dirty oil and automotive money and requiring them (via voting and writing) to urge and encourage industry to create new and cleaner fuel sources?

While these new rigs seem like the problem, they are only symptoms of politics and States' want for money. Our real problem stems from the politics involved with our automotive industry and oil industry, keeping us in high demand for oil. Why are we (the people) not forcing our politicians to give up the dirty oil and automotive money and requiring them (via voting and writing) to urge and encourage industry to create new and cleaner fuel sources?

Yep, as usual you are right SJ. And one way to do this would be to develop sugarcane based ethanol production. Like you said a few months ago:

"Yesterday, I learned that this year, the Indy Cars are running on 10% ethanol. Next year, all Indy Cars will be running off of 100% ethanol (alcohol made from corn) just like the Duke Boys. What a great start for promoting the use of renuable fuels, which could also get us the hell out of the middle east. -- even if those cars get only 2.5 mpg on avg"

Wouldn't it suck if this exciting option became a non-starter because coastal Louisiana's soil was ruined by saltwater intrusion? Louisiana is the second largest domestic producer of sugarcane. Ecopal himself correctly pointed out that the ethanol from cane is better than the corn squeezed stuff (the Brazilian technique).

You actually think that allowing off shore drilling will save the wetlands?

Are you not aware of the detrimental environmental impact of drilling in the Gulf?

You are not concerned about Gulf coast drilling 100 miles off shore?

Well so much for your credibility.

Ecopal...I'm not as well versed as you are in these environmental issues. Can you give me an example of a coastline that was damaged by an oil drilling rig 100 miles offshore in the past; also, if this occurred, how was the coastline cleaned up and how long did it take?

What is the detrimental environmental impact of drilling in the Gulf 100 miles from the coastline? Would appreciate some specifics, not just general statements.

moot.

House leaders abruptly pull offshore drilling bill from floor
POSTED: 2:02 p.m. EST, December 5, 2006


WASHINGTON (AP) -- House Republicans abruptly pulled from floor action Tuesday a bill to open a large area of the eastern Gulf of Mexico to oil and gas drilling after it became clear the legislation lacked the two-thirds vote needed for passage.

The bill, which has already passed the Senate, was to have been one of the last major legislative achievements of this session of Congress.

It would open 8.3 million acres of the Gulf that is now off limits to drilling and also steer hundreds of millions of dollars of federal royalty payments to four Gulf coast states -- a windfall for Louisiana, which would get about half the money.

Republicans leaders gave no reason for the decision,

But an aide to a lawmaker strongly supporting the legislation said that a number of Republicans withdrew their support at the last minute and some Democrats also had signaled they would not support the measure.

The aide, who requested anonymity because another attempt is expected on the bill, said GOP leaders planned to revive the bill in a way that only a majority vote is required or attach it to another bill. GOP leaders had put the measure on an expedited schedule, requiring two-thirds approval.

"We have precious little time left," said Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-Louisiana, in a statement, adding she remained hopeful the legislation can be taken up later this week.

"The House will revisit the offshore drilling legislation again at some point before the end of this week, though details on the mechanics of how the measure will be considered have yet to be decided," Kevin Madden, spokesman for House Majority Leader John Boehner, said in a statement.

The drilling bill is one of a string of measures House GOP leaders have readied for this week's "lame-duck" session under an expedited procedure that bars amendments, but also requires a two-thirds vote for approval.

Environmentalists have lined up against the bill and some Republicans are cool toward the measure, favoring a more expansive offshore energy development plan that passed the House in June that would have lifted drilling bans along both the East and West coasts. Senate leaders said the House bill had no chance in the Senate.

The Senate-passed bill covers an area 125 miles south of the Florida Panhandle and is up to 300 miles from Florida's Gulf coast. It is believed to contain 1.3 billion barrels of oil and 6 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, enough gas to heat 6 million homes for 15 years. The country uses about 21 million barrels of oil a day.
Bill broadly supported by business

House leaders have been bombarded by calls from a wide range of business groups -- from chemical companies to pulp and paper industries as well as electric utilities and manufacturers -- for the House to accept the Senate-passed bill and send it to President Bush for his signature.

Business groups have argued that new offshore energy development might ease natural gas prices, which have dropped significantly this year but still are three times to four times higher than what they were only a few years ago.

"This vote is the last chance Congress can come through for the American public," said John Engler, president of the National Association of Manufacturers, urging the House to pass the Senate bill.

Industry groups had favored the broader House-passed bill, but see the Senate bill as the most that can be expected, and likely more than what can be gotten from the Democratic-controlled Congress next year.

"You take what you can get," said David Palmer, president of the American Gas Association, which represents gas utilities and -- like agriculture and the chemical industry -- has been struggling with high fuel costs.

But environmentalists argued the new Gulf drilling would increase the chance of environmental damage and have little impact on prices.

"Opening our national coastline to destructive drilling will only add to the billions in profits already being made by Big Oil, do nothing to lower gas prices for American families or energy costs for American businesses, and will keep our nation dangerously dependent on oil," said Athan Manuel of the Sierra Club.

Landrieu who helped craft the Senate bill, said the revamped revenue sharing plan would produce huge environmental benefits to the Gulf Coast by providing money for wetland restoration, levee repairs, flood control and hurricane protection. The bill eventually would give states 37.5 percent of royalties from all Gulf oil and gas production, compared with about 2 percent now.

...

Landrieu who helped craft the Senate bill, said the revamped revenue sharing plan would produce huge environmental benefits to the Gulf Coast by providing money for wetland restoration, levee repairs, flood control and hurricane protection. The bill eventually would give states 37.5 percent of royalties from all Gulf oil and gas production, compared with about 2 percent now.

Question: if this statement in bold is true, gov't stands to profit greatly from drilling in the Gulf. How will we ever ween ourselves off of demand for oil if gov't stands to profit directly from oil and gas production? :idontno: Call me crazy, but that dog don't hunt. The Beast (gov't) needs to eat, and the waistband seems to be ever-increasing.

moot.

House leaders abruptly pull offshore drilling bill from floor
POSTED: 2:02 p.m. EST, December 5, 2006


WASHINGTON (AP) -- House Republicans abruptly pulled from floor action Tuesday a bill to open a large area of the eastern Gulf of Mexico to oil and gas drilling after it became clear the legislation lacked the two-thirds vote needed for passage.

The bill, which has already passed the Senate, was to have been one of the last major legislative achievements of this session of Congress.

It would open 8.3 million acres of the Gulf that is now off limits to drilling and also steer hundreds of millions of dollars of federal royalty payments to four Gulf coast states -- a windfall for Louisiana, which would get about half the money.

Republicans leaders gave no reason for the decision,

But an aide to a lawmaker strongly supporting the legislation said that a number of Republicans withdrew their support at the last minute and some Democrats also had signaled they would not support the measure.

The aide, who requested anonymity because another attempt is expected on the bill, said GOP leaders planned to revive the bill in a way that only a majority vote is required or attach it to another bill. GOP leaders had put the measure on an expedited schedule, requiring two-thirds approval.

"We have precious little time left," said Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-Louisiana, in a statement, adding she remained hopeful the legislation can be taken up later this week.

"The House will revisit the offshore drilling legislation again at some point before the end of this week, though details on the mechanics of how the measure will be considered have yet to be decided," Kevin Madden, spokesman for House Majority Leader John Boehner, said in a statement.

The drilling bill is one of a string of measures House GOP leaders have readied for this week's "lame-duck" session under an expedited procedure that bars amendments, but also requires a two-thirds vote for approval.

Environmentalists have lined up against the bill and some Republicans are cool toward the measure, favoring a more expansive offshore energy development plan that passed the House in June that would have lifted drilling bans along both the East and West coasts. Senate leaders said the House bill had no chance in the Senate.

The Senate-passed bill covers an area 125 miles south of the Florida Panhandle and is up to 300 miles from Florida's Gulf coast. It is believed to contain 1.3 billion barrels of oil and 6 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, enough gas to heat 6 million homes for 15 years. The country uses about 21 million barrels of oil a day.
Bill broadly supported by business

House leaders have been bombarded by calls from a wide range of business groups -- from chemical companies to pulp and paper industries as well as electric utilities and manufacturers -- for the House to accept the Senate-passed bill and send it to President Bush for his signature.

Business groups have argued that new offshore energy development might ease natural gas prices, which have dropped significantly this year but still are three times to four times higher than what they were only a few years ago.

"This vote is the last chance Congress can come through for the American public," said John Engler, president of the National Association of Manufacturers, urging the House to pass the Senate bill.

Industry groups had favored the broader House-passed bill, but see the Senate bill as the most that can be expected, and likely more than what can be gotten from the Democratic-controlled Congress next year.

"You take what you can get," said David Palmer, president of the American Gas Association, which represents gas utilities and -- like agriculture and the chemical industry -- has been struggling with high fuel costs.

But environmentalists argued the new Gulf drilling would increase the chance of environmental damage and have little impact on prices.

"Opening our national coastline to destructive drilling will only add to the billions in profits already being made by Big Oil, do nothing to lower gas prices for American families or energy costs for American businesses, and will keep our nation dangerously dependent on oil," said Athan Manuel of the Sierra Club.

Landrieu who helped craft the Senate bill, said the revamped revenue sharing plan would produce huge environmental benefits to the Gulf Coast by providing money for wetland restoration, levee repairs, flood control and hurricane protection. The bill eventually would give states 37.5 percent of royalties from all Gulf oil and gas production, compared with about 2 percent now.

Not dead, vote is supposed to occur 12/6/06

The aide, who requested anonymity because another attempt is expected on the bill, said GOP leaders planned to revive the bill in a way that only a majority vote is required or attach it to another bill. GOP leaders had put the measure on an expedited schedule, requiring two-thirds approval.

sounds about right. SOP.

The aide, who requested anonymity because another attempt is expected on the bill, said GOP leaders planned to revive the bill in a way that only a majority vote is required or attach it to another bill. GOP leaders had put the measure on an expedited schedule, requiring two-thirds approval.

sounds about right. SOP.

Yep. Heard it was going to go on another bill as an amendment. Simple majority will pass it, no opportunity to alter it. Vote will be Thursday the 7th.

I'm sorry, but I can't help it. I will leave New Orleans[go Saints] out of this. Your state is home to 17 refineries. Your waterways and wetlands are compromised by the oil industry. You now lobby for more oil rigs in one of the most hurricane prone areas of the world, because your state needs the money to correct the massive screwing it has been subjected to by big oil. Where is the logic to risking the coastline of a state that is clean. This drilling bill is being pushed mostly by the chemical and oil industry. Wouldn't it make more sense to make your hometown industry right past wrongs by breaking out their fat checkbooks?

I'm sorry, but I can't help it. I will leave New Orleans[go Saints] out of this. Your state is home to 17 refineries. Your waterways and wetlands are compromised by the oil industry. You now lobby for more oil rigs in one of the most hurricane prone areas of the world, because your state needs the money to correct the massive screwing it has been subjected to by big oil. Where is the logic to risking the coastline of a state that is clean. This drilling bill is being pushed mostly by the chemical and oil industry. Wouldn't it make more sense to make your hometown industry right past wrongs by breaking out their fat checkbooks?

Dream on about fat checkbooks being opened. It isn't going to happen. Get over your primal hatred of corporate America and face reality. The southern United States coast is eroding;we have known about this for decades, and this is the first real chance we have to do something about it. I am amazed at the passive aggressive attitude of getting a little victory over big oil at the expense of compromising our domestic economy. Forget the birds, fish, reptiles, mammals, plants and yes, fellow taxpaying Americans who will be preserved and think of how screwed we will all be if we lose our nations busiest seaport complex, chemical processing infrastructure and domestic petroleum extraction and refining plants. Let me ask you, rhetorically, as somebody who loves SOWAL and may very well live there one day...what would be the larger national tragedy, every inch of Walton county's beaches being absolutly slicked with gooey black oil or continued loss of the wetlands where we perform petrochemical work and ship way more stuff than you realize. Seriously; crappy sand and spoiled vacations or economic catastrophe, which is worse? That may seem harsh, but that is basically what we are talking about. I was also wondering, do you even know what occurs on an oil platform? You said they don't spew 'rose water', but you do realize they don't spew anything, right? Once those rigs go up over 100 miles off the Florida coast, you won't even know it;there will be no oil slicks, no smells, no lights, no rigs on the horizon...nothing. Get a grip on reality. If the plan to restore the coast is so bad, please, let us know what is your solution? (Other than getting the oil companies to pay for it, since that will simply jack up consumer prices for any goods that contain plastic, rubber or might have to be shipped to market).

Now, let me show you this daya I found that illustrates how profoundly naive it is to think of this as a "Louisiana problem":

FLORIDA’S ECONOMIC LINK TO AMERICA’S ENERGY COAST
posted: November 09, 2006

America’s Energy Coast fuels and feeds Florida and the nation and also provides a critical transportation link for Florida’s products and services. This vital economic resource to Florida’s communities and businesses is at risk and is washing away!

• Florida exported $1,225,840,473 worth of goods through the Ports of Louisiana, representing 4% of Florida’s total exports.

• Florida imported 2,192,310 and exported 6,083,000 short tons of goods through the ports of Louisiana, representing trade with over 60 nations.

• By waterway, Louisiana shipped 19,158,071 tons of petroleum products,

• 7,831,764 tons of coal, lignite, and coal coke, and 265,913 tons of chemicals excluding fertilizers to Florida by waterway.

• 1/3 of oil and gas production comes across the coast of Louisiana.

• 30% of all seafood consumed in the U.S. comes from the waters of Louisiana.

• #1 Port – The Port of New Orleans is the largest by tonnage in the U.S.; five of the country’s 15 largest ports are in Louisiana. New Orleans tonnage has increased by 4% over its pre-Katrina levels.


BUT AMERICA’S ENERGY COAST IS WASHING AWAY

• One football field of land is lost in Louisiana every 38 minutes.

• Since the 1930s, an area the size of Delaware – 2,000 square miles of Louisiana wetlands – has been lost

• 218 square miles of marshland became open water as a result of Hurricanes Rita and Katrina in Southeast Louisiana.

• Every 2.7 to 4 miles of lost marsh correlates to a one-foot rise in storm surge.

• Vital business infrastructure so valuable to Florida is now more vulnerable because wetlands have disappeared.

• Homeland security is a prominent issue when thousands of miles of pipeline become exposed due to lost wetlands.

WHAT IS AT STAKE

• $8 Billion – royalties that the United States Treasury receives annually from oil and gas produced from the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). Of this, $5 Billion comes from Louisiana, but Louisiana receives almost nothing for it.

• Sharing Outer Continental Shelf oil and gas revenues with coastal energy producing states is a sound policy that will protect the future of the U.S. domestic energy supply.

• Louisiana has done our part. On September 30th, 82% of Louisiana voters approved constitutional amendments that would dedicate any future OCS revenue to coastal protection.

• Restoring our coast protects the vital energy infrastructure and allows Louisiana to continue hosting the energy that fuels this nation.

Still think it is all about making sure the Saints have a place to play forever?!