Monday, November 17, 2008



A Bush administration nudge toward opening waters off Virginia for oil and gas leasing is rankling environmentalists, who have begun lobbying President-elect Barack Obama to reinstate an offshore drilling ban lifted by President George W. Bush last summer.

Reinstating the offshore drilling ban would remove the oil drilling debate as a stand alone issue and give Obama leverage to have a more comprehensive debate about energy policy.

If you live or surf on the Outer Banks you should read this!

Read more....

Friday, November 14, 2008

VA, NC, MD, DE, NJ - Do You Want Offshore Oil Drilling?


Public Can Voice Opinions on Oil Drilling off Virginia


Offshore drilling for oil in the Atlantic Ocean could happen within 100 miles of New Jersey (and much closer to Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and North Carolina) after the Department of the Interior this week initiated an oil and gas leasing process off the coast of Virginia.

A 45-day window for public comment opened Thursday on the environmental impact of leasing the offshore area for drilling, as well as for general comments and concerns.

The department's Minerals Management Service took the first step in opening waters off the coast of Virginia to offshore drilling for oil. President George W. Bush lifted the ban on offshore drilling in many states in July. Congress allowed the annual moratorium to expire at the end of September.

The mid-Atlantic area has not had a lease sale since 1983, according to a statement from MMS. "This is the first step in a multistep leasing process," MMS spokeswoman Eileen Angelico said. "By putting out this call (for comments), this is not putting out a lease." Angelico said several opportunities for public comment are built into the leasing schedule. When the administration changes in 2009, the new secretary of the interior may choose to drop the leasing process.

Even with a change of administration only a couple of months away, environmental groups are expressing their concern and outrage over the possibility of offshore drilling.

The public comment period ends Dec. 29.

To comment:
For more information about the lease and for mailing information to register a public comment, visit:
www.mms.gov/offshore/220.htm
Public comments can also be e-mailed to sale220@mms.gov.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

MMS Initiates Oil and Gas Leasing Process for Offshore Virginia


MMS Initiates Oil and Gas Leasing Process for Offshore Virginia
Initial information-gathering steps begin for proposed Sale 220

The Minerals Management Service (MMS) has taken the first step in the multi-year leasing process to hold a sale for acreage offshore Virginia. The Call for Information and Interest/Nominations and Notice of Intent (Call/NOI) to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be published in the November 13th Federal Register, beginning a 45-day public comment period.

The purpose of the Call/NOI is to gather information to use for planning and analysis and does not indicate a preliminary decision to hold a lease sale.

If you have any questions, please contact the Office of Congressional Affairs at (202) 208-3502.

Lesley Kilp Haenny
Office of Congressional Affairs
Minerals Management Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
T: (202) 208-6098
F: (202) 208-3968

Read Washington Post article here.

Friday, November 7, 2008

Maybe It's Time to Re-think Things

Post election quote from David Frum, a former Bush White House speechwriter:

“In the eyes of many college-educated white people, the people who Bush got in 2004 and whom the Republicans owned in the 1980s, the Republican Party has become a party of culture war. It's the party of 'drill, baby, drill,' (and) no environmental agenda.”