According to estimates by the U.S. Geological Survey, overseen by the U.S. Department of Interior, there is anywhere between 1 million to 9.3 million barrels of undiscovered oil and between 1.9 trillion and 22 trillion cubic feet of undiscovered natural gas in the North Cuban Basin.
Critics contend, however, that extracting oil and gas resources from Cuban waters will do little to alleviate the growing energy demand in the United States.
Craig and Rep. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., have proposed legislation that would allow U.S. companies to participate in the exploration and extraction of hydrocarbon resources, and allow them to travel to Cuba without the mandated licenses.
That's the story of the USA and oil. Always a bridesmaid, never a bride.
There's no need to agonize. Just take off the handcuffs and let our people go (a-drilling, that is).
Apparently nobody in government believes that Flordia's coveted tourism industry is threatened by the price of fuel?
Did the 2X4 of reality smack some of our senators up side the head??? Or am I hoping for too much?
Rather than do it ourselves, we'll be all too happy to let China and India drill in the Gulf and sell the oil back to us. (It's who we are.)
"Looks like the Senator done changed his position on offshore drillin'"
The idea of China drilling anywhere near our shores disturbs me for several reasons. China itself is an ecological disaster -- why would we allow a potential oil spill by China when we won't drill near Florida ourselves? Cuba is still under embargo -- why would we allow China to benefit Cuba by drilling in those waters?
Maybe we should let China drill in ANWAR too???
Huh? Since Cuba is 90 miles from Florida, the half way point and boundary between areas of economic control would be 45 miles from Florida at their closest point. If the Cuban drilling in that strait, they would be 5 miles inside their territory.
I'm no fan of the Cubans, but this reminds me of people getting worked up when they found out that the Soviet Union had somehow sneaked to within 3 miles of the US and what a threat that was, forgetting that's how far apart a US island was from a Russian island ever since the Russians sold us Alaska.
Wake up California coast...your next. And then 12 miles off ANWR
The vermin and scum that comprise the Democrat Party, and have prevented drilling of oil offshore and in Alaska, in what is clearly a supply and demand situation, is helping to destroy America. Castro is giving precious drilling rights to our enemies, and we stand idly by becasue of Democrat blockage. Any American voter that votes Democrat is certifably insane. This is a political party that should have its heart ripped out by the voting public and be destroyed forever!!! First in destruction of the USA economy, first in aiding and abetting the enemy, first in hating America, first in hating God and religion, The Democrat Party . Americans are nuts!!! Go figure!!!
Congress has all the leadership of Napoleon Dynamite.
"Critics contend, however, that extracting oil and gas resources from Cuban waters will do little to alleviate the growing energy demand..."
Those critics could add:
hybrid cars
photovoltaics
wind generators
biodiesel
push mowers
This is how the article should be titled.
I always find it interesting that Florida and California can forbid drilling outside their borders in Federal Waters but Alaska cannot allow drilling inside their borders on Federal Land.
Why don't these timid pansy-assed jerks get off their lazy asses and let industry do what is best for the country. I'm fed up with the ethanol worshippers and environmental dipsticks.
Only the USA will agonize over applying common sense and responsible judgement. We should be drilling offshore California, ANWR, off the coast of Florida, and in the Gulf of Mexico. It is possible to be environmenally responsible and drill for oil. But wait, we have too many socialist revolutionaries in our Congress!
Another example of our stupidity, overdoing forgiveness of the enemy after we win a war.
We beat Cuba how many times?
And then, just like Mexico, we give them back their country, and allow the most brutal and corrupt thug among them to take control.
We should have simply made Cuba a U.S. territory a long time ago.
Might not be too late if we just sent all the Cubans in the U.S. back at the same time?
I say we let them drill it's their land anyway.
I say we let them drill it's their land anyway.