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On his way out, Obama cedes Arctic energy control to Russia
Hot Air ^ | November 19, 2016 | Jazz Shaw

Posted on 11/19/2016 5:39:50 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet

This isn’t really the same as prying the W’s off the keyboards in the Oval Office, but Barack Obama seems determined to leave some unpleasant going away presents for his successor on the domestic energy front. Before leaving office, the President has modified the agreement for future oil exploration leases to eliminate nearly all Arctic sites. Needless to say, the energy industry isn’t exactly ecstatic over this. (Politico)

President Barack Obama is throwing up roadblocks to Donald Trump’s pledges to expand offshore drilling, with a new plan that will declare parts of the Arctic off-limits.

Obama’s Interior Department on Friday issued its final five-year road map for offshore oil and gas drilling that took two areas in the Arctic out of contention, dealing a win to environmental groups and obstructing a path to new offshore drilling in the area. The plan is vulnerable to being unraveled by Trump, who has pledged to expand oil and gas production, but it would take at least a few years for him to do so.

This move was being discussed more than a week ago but now it seems official. As recently as April the administration was working with energy industry representatives and developing a plan which would have at least included sites in the Beaufort and Chukchi seas. (It was a stingy offer even then, but half a loaf is better than none.) This comes on the heels of a decision earlier this year to reverse another set of plans which would have allowed for limited energy exploration in the Atlantic between Georgia and Virginia.

Here’s the thing to keep in mind about that. That stretch of the Arctic Ocean represents our entire share of the undersea oil deposits in that part of the world. The Russians are already competing with us heavily up north. It’s true that some of these areas are turning out to be too poor in resources to make it worth the bother of drilling (Dutch Shell’s Polar Pioneer spent a season there and bailed out without marking a permanent drill site) but there’s plenty more to explore. And as our technology continues to improve, things which are not currently viable may well prove to be not only possible, but economical in the future. Walking away waving the white flag is basically ceding the field to Russia.

What’s not mentioned in any great detail in the current coverage is that it may not take “a few years” to undo these moves at all. These are declarations being made by the executive branch with no input from the legislature. This has been looked into extensively and the next president can generally undo anything crafted solely by the current president without too much trouble. Trump just needs to get the right people on the job of looking into this and a course correction can likely be made.

That would be the prudent move because America is still building on its new role as a global oil and gas industry leader. You may have missed it, but we’re on track to to set a record in shale gas exports this year. And there’s more of that to come. Trump has promised to aggressively pursue domestic energy initiatives and if he’s good to his word we’re going to be breaking more of these records.

Anybody tired of winning yet? I’m not. We’re just getting started.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Government; Politics
KEYWORDS: alaska; energy; obama; oil; russia; trump
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1 posted on 11/19/2016 5:39:50 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Thanks, President Dickbag.


2 posted on 11/19/2016 5:41:56 PM PST by chris37 (It's time to burn the GOP down.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Well the third paragraph says one thing.

Then the article later says:

“What’s not mentioned in any great detail in the current coverage is that it may not take “a few years” to undo these moves at all. These are declarations being made by the executive branch with no input from the legislature. This has been looked into extensively and the next president can generally undo anything crafted solely by the current president without too much trouble. Trump just needs to get the right people on the job of looking into this and a course correction can likely be made. “


3 posted on 11/19/2016 5:42:44 PM PST by cba123 ( Toi la nguoi My. Toi bay gio o Viet Nam.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Why does Trump have to follow el duchebag’s rules? Just ob=verrule and have DOJ recover lost profits from dear leader.


4 posted on 11/19/2016 5:44:09 PM PST by MtnClimber (For photos of Colorado scenery and wildlife, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
the next president can generally undo anything crafted solely by the current president without too much trouble

"Stroke of the pen. Law of the land. Kinda cool."

5 posted on 11/19/2016 5:44:25 PM PST by Bubba_Leroy (Ding Dong the Witch is Dead!)
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To: chris37

Count on more of these steaming piles left by the DickBag (LOL) admin..


6 posted on 11/19/2016 5:44:38 PM PST by cardinal4 ("Sat stonefaced while the building burned..")
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

“But my hope is he does not simply take a realpolitik approach and suggest that ... if we just cut some deals with Russia, even if it hurts people...” - Obama


7 posted on 11/19/2016 5:44:56 PM PST by ari-freedom (The Social Justice War is over and we won!)
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To: cba123
Trump should declare on Jan. 20 2017 that all EO's promulgated since 1/21/2009 are hereby rescinded.

He'll carefully review which ones would be restored, but it could take awhile.

8 posted on 11/19/2016 5:46:04 PM PST by AU72
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Not content with overriding laws, labor agreements and court decisions, Obama now turns his hand to the task of single-handedly crafting international treaties and committing the United States to them in perpetuity.


9 posted on 11/19/2016 5:47:45 PM PST by Steely Tom ([VOTE FRAUD] == [CIVIL WAR])
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I am sure Secretary Palin can change that.....


10 posted on 11/19/2016 5:49:13 PM PST by KC_Lion (Trump's Iowa Class Battleships have come within striking distance of Hillary shores and opened fire.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet; cracker45; Tainan; Jet Jaguar; SENTINEL; redpoll; ArmyTeach; Eska; hattend; ...

Alaska Ping!

It is never too late to screw over America!

11 posted on 11/19/2016 5:50:14 PM PST by KC_Lion (Trump's Iowa Class Battleships have come within striking distance of Hillary shores and opened fire.)
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To: cardinal4

Oh yeah. It’s going to be a fun two months, I’m guessing.

It would appear that President Dickbag Obama is in league with the Russians, giving them gifts and such.


12 posted on 11/19/2016 5:51:55 PM PST by chris37 (It's time to burn the GOP down.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Obama thinks Trump would ever remove any of his great things , D’oh


13 posted on 11/19/2016 5:52:48 PM PST by butlerweave
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

He is like a house robber who pisses in the refrigerator on his way out.


14 posted on 11/19/2016 5:56:04 PM PST by firebrand
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Isn’t there a law under which Congress can undo an administrative regulation?


15 posted on 11/19/2016 5:56:33 PM PST by colorado tanker
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

So why can’t Trump, et al, simply reverse this?????


16 posted on 11/19/2016 5:58:29 PM PST by Arlis
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

There’s enough shale in Texas alone to fire the US for 20 years.

And that’s not even 1/4 the oil we have.


17 posted on 11/19/2016 6:00:52 PM PST by Mariner (War Criminal #18)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

well then if obie can do that, then maybe President Trump should “cede” the all federal parks outside of DC, back to The States.


18 posted on 11/19/2016 6:01:20 PM PST by dadfly
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Despite this generous gift Barry, Putin still thinks you are a silly ‘little light in the loafers’ punk.


19 posted on 11/19/2016 6:02:49 PM PST by LegendHasIt
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To: AU72

I imagine Mr. Trump has a small staff busily reviewing the Obama executive orders for ones that need to be cancelled and can be done so rapidly. They should also identify orders that need not be changed and then the remainder should be looked at carefully to determine which of those roughly translate into “I hate America”. There will be lots of those.


20 posted on 11/19/2016 6:09:22 PM PST by 17th Miss Regt
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