President Obama Closes Western Lands To Oil Shale Development

Political Realities ^ | 11/10/12 | LD Jackson

[LD Jackson]

I'll give President Obama his due. He wasted no time in implementing some of his energy policy. In spite of the rhetoric he has used about increasing drilling leases on federal lands, we knew he wasn't serious about making it easier for American oil companies to use new lands for possible development. This is what we get for reelecting a President who has such a focus on promoting green energy. He seems to believe that the harder he makes it for oil companies to retrieve the natural resources in America, the easier it will be for green energy companies to make their products viable for use. The Interior Department has announced they will be closing federal lands that were previously slated to be open for oil shale development. I was first alerted to this by America's Watchtower.

(The Hill) The Interior Department on Friday issued a final plan to close 1.6 million acres of federal land in the West originally slated for oil shale development.

The proposed plan would fence off a majority of the initial blueprint laid out in the final days of the George W. Bush administration. It faces a 30-day protest period and a 60-day process to ensure it is consistent with local and state policies. After that, the department would render a decision for implementation.

The move is sure to rankle Republicans, who say President Obama’s grip on fossil fuel drilling in federal lands is too tight.

Interior’s Bureau of Land Management cited environmental concerns for the proposed changes. Among other things, it excised lands with “wilderness characteristics” and areas that conflicted with sage grouse habitats.

Under the plan, 677,000 acres in Colorado, Utah and Wyoming would be open for oil shale exploration. Another 130,000 acres in Utah would be set aside for tar sands production.

The administration and Democrats said that while the plan would curtail what was originally sought for oil shale development, it still opens up a significant amount of land that was previously unavailable for the energy production method.

It should come as no surprise that the reasons given for closing this land to oil shale development are environmental concerns. Make no mistake, I want to see our environment protected and I have no desire to see a single sage grouse displaced, but does there not come a time when our energy requirements need to take precedent? In every case I have seen of federal lands being shut down for energy development, it has been environmental concerns that have been the culprit. This adds to my believe that federal lands within the borders of any state should be given back to that state. Doing so would remove federal jurisdiction from places it should not be present in the first place.

Does anyone want to place a bet on how long it will be before the Keystone Pipeline is completely buried by the Obama administration? I'm thinking it won't be long before any hope we had of it being approved is taken completely away. That's what we get for reelecting a President who has a special hatred of oil companies.

The image I found on AfterMath says it all. President Obama has tunnel vision, when it comes to what America's energy policy should be. I agree with Obama that we need to explore alternative energies. I'm not sure pond scum should be included, but you get the idea. Alternative energy sources are fine, if they work. Throwing money down the rat hole of green energy companies is not the way to pursue energy independence. Shutting down federal lands to oil shale development isn't going to achieve energy independence. If President Obama was really serious about what he calls an all-of-the-above approach to energy policy, he would abandon his efforts to demonize oil companies and cutting them off from federal lands. If he was really serious, he would give control of those federal lands back to the states, to which the ultimately belong, and he would focus on finding sources of alternative energy that have a chance of working. Giving federally backed loans to his campaign donors and watching their companies go bankrupt isn't going to work.

[MinuteGal]

Obama to the rescue just when the OPEC countries are beginning to have the shakes because of increasing competition from shale oil.

Leni

[NotchJohnson]

A bird is now in the way of drilling. Impressed he wasted no time in implementing what he wants. The GOP has nothing now to stop him. They may as well as lay down and let him turn us into Greece. I hate to say that but we have no options.

[Truth2012]

I get so frustrated at times. It is childish to think Obama wants to destroy American energy because he likes green energy.

No- he wants to destroy independence and jobs. Green energy is his cover to tickle the ears of nutjob liberals.

They are aiding him, whether they know it or not- in his war from within. A weak America is ripe for pillage and for takeover- by his friends, the Muslims.

Come on people.

Ugh.. sheeps to the slaughter.

[Therapsid]

No Hes saving it for the chineese as instructed.

[Truth2012]

Could be. One or the other. Perhaps the Chinese and Muslims will get into a war over it- and leave us alone.

[scooby321]

Thats not what he said in the Debates?

[freekitty]

I am not clear to what 1.6 million acres of land in the west this author is referring to?

[Venturer]

By OPEC you mean Muslims don’t you?

Any surprise that Obaam would be on the side of Muslims?

[Venturer]

Bingo

[Oshkalaboomboom]

I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Obama offered to swap oil leases to the Chinese in exchange for debt reduction.

[sport]

Good! he has already said that six dollar of gas didn’t bother him. Wait until all the teachers that voted for him have to pay ten dollars a gallon for gas. Along with the raising cost of everything else. Heating fuel for those who live in cold climates for one example.

[38special]

Then they will get free gov’t gas cards!

[PubliusMM]

Federal Lands are the peoples’ land...the elitists have forgotten that.
Time to remind them.

Of course that won’t happen with the gutless, spineless pubbies, all to eager to accommodate the Liar-in-Chief and his anti-Constitutionalist, pro-socialist governance.

The America of my youth is gone. But, I stand ready to help recover that grand experiment.

[chainsaw]

All the Kool Aid drinkers can get ready for $8.00/gal regular gas. The rest of us can also.

We asked for it and Obama is going to give it to us.

Along with this, look for food prices to sky rocket. It takes fuel to produce eating stuff. Stock up on fire wood also.

[sport]

Yeah, but when they have to eat them because they have no food, they will get one hell of a case of indigestigation.

[MinuteGal]

"By OPEC you mean Muslims, don't you? Any surprise that Obaam would be on the side of the Muslims?"

I thought that would be understood from the tenor of my post. I assume readers here know that OPEC means Muslims.

At any rate, I'm sure, also, that we all remember that Obama stated when the going gets tough, he'd be on the side of the Muslims.

Soooo.....if shale oil is proving to be a competition for the Muslims, as sure as night follows day Obama will mow down the competition....as he just did by closing OUR Western lands to shale development yesterday.

As Stan Laurel would say....."this is a fine kettle of fish Obama is getting us into."

Leni

[bgill]

I was going to ask what took him so long until seeing this was done on his favorite day of the week - News Dump Friday.

[uglybiker]

I assume readers here know that OPEC means Muslims.

I'm sure a few Catholic Venezuelans might take issue with that. ;-)

[MinuteGal]

The point is that Obama is again bowing to the Muslim monarchies and religious dictatorships by banning oil shale development in the U.S.

The list of countries in the OPEC shows a preponderance of Muslim countries which will benefit financially from Obama's treasonous action in putting the economics of foreign/enemy/hostile countries over that of his own struggling nation.

Leni