Atlantic Coast Stays Off Limits to Oil Production

Sarbanes Applauds Administration’s Plan to Prevent Drilling at Mouth of Chesapeake Bay

Yesterday, Department of Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced a new five-year plan for oil and natural gas drilling that will exclude drilling at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay.

“I commend the Department of Interior’s decision to exclude the Mid-Atlantic-region in its new oil and natural gas drilling proposal,” said Congressman John Sarbanes. “The Chesapeake Bay is the soul of our state and a $1 trillion economic engine for fishing, tourism, property values and shipping industries. A drilling accident would wreak havoc on our marine ecosystems, fishing and tourism industries.”
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The newly proposed five-year plan for 2012-2017 does not include any lease sales for the Mid-Atlantic-region, but energy companies will be permitted to conduct seismic surveys to identify unknown areas of oil and gas. The Department of Interior will be accepting public comments on the proposal for 90 days before issuing its final environmental impact statement and plan to Congress and the White House. Congress will then have 60 days to review the proposal.

I think gas prices among states should be tiered by how much the state contributes to the energy balance of the country.  States which actively seek out opportunities to make energy for the country should be subsidized so that their citizens are rewarded, while states that discourage energy production should pay a premium for the right to sit back and make others produce their energy for them.

Well, not really, but you know what I mean.  I think all regions of the country owe it to the rest of the country to help provide energy to the rest to the extent they are able.  The blue states are generally shirking that responsibility.  Sometime that means you need to risk something, even occasionally a little environmental problem.