McCain urges end to ban on offshore drilling

Associated Press ^ | 6/16/2008 | By DAVID ESPO

[Aria]

RLINGTON, Va. (AP) - Sen. John McCain said Monday the federal moratorium on offshore oil and gas drilling should be lifted, and individual states given the right to pursue energy exploration in waters near their own coasts. With gasoline prices rising and the United States chronically dependent on foreign oil, the Republican presidential contender said his proposal would "be very helpful in the short term resolving our energy crisis."

McCain also suggested giving the states incentives, including a greater share of royalties paid by companies that drill for oil, as an incentive to permit exploration.

Asked how far offshore states should be given control of drilling rights, he said that was a matter for negotiation.

He offered no other details for his proposal, which he is expected to describe more fully on Tuesday in an energy speech.

The current drilling moratorium is a perennial cause for controversy, pitting those who favor additional exploration on the one hand against environmentalists on the other.

The current ban on offshore drilling covers an estimated 80 percent of U.S. coastal waters. Given Democratic opposition in Congress to ending it, the Bush administration and congressional Republicans have been seeking the type of state option that McCain endorsed.

The GOP presidential candidate said a recent run-up in the price of oil was having an adverse effect on consumers.

"We've seen the impact of it in the form of food prices, in the form of gasoline, in the form of threats of inflation and indeed indications of inflation, and we must we must embark on a national mission to eliminate our dependence on foreign oil," he told reporters. McCain has sought to carve out something of a middle road on energy issues, parting company with many Republicans by opposing drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska, for example and calling for measures to reduce greenhouse gases.

The Senate last month rejected a GOP energy plan, 56-42, that included a provision similar to McCain's proposal. It would have allowed a state's governor to petition to have the federal moratorium lifted for waters off its coast. Republican senators argued there are some 14 billion barrels of recoverable oil available in waters now off limits. Also, the House has twice approved giving states the right to opt out of the federal ban, both when the GOP held the majority, but the proposal has never made it through the Senate.

McCain made his remarks before leaving the Washington area for a pair of fundraisers in Dallas.

Another fundraising event, originally set for the home of Clayton Williams in Midland, Texas was pulled from the schedule after a controversy erupted over remarks the 1990 Texas GOP gubernatorial candidate made several years ago about rape.

McCain sought to minimize the fallout, telling reporters that his aides had not known of the earlier comment when they scheduled the event

"We'll do it someplace else and I understand he's not attending. That's pretty much the sum of it all," he said.

He said he would hold another fundraising in the Midland area later this summer and Williams would not attend. Democrats have called on McCain to return more than $300,000 that Williams had raised for McCain from other individuals.

[Future Snake Eater]

Not strong enough. The individual states should have no choice in the matter. It is a matter of national security at this point.

Agreed. It would never pass in CA. Even if it did, the courts would immediately strike it down, regardless if the drilling violated any laws.

[BobS]

About time. So it took fistfights at gas stations to get his attention?

[maine-iac7]

He's adament on States Rights - he is proposing that the individual states have the say in waters off their shores. This removes the control from Washington. He advocates the same States Rights FIRST to be decided by the people in the individual states on issues that can be so decided - like abortion bans, traditional marriage, etc.

He trusts the people in the states, per the Constitutional provisions as foreseen by the Founders. He wants the Federal Gov't to mind their business = and theirs, and only theirs, which is in matters that are national, like national highways, bridges, and in protecting us from foreign enemies - per, again, the Constitution.

He believes the matters should only go the SCOTUS when the Federal gov't oversteps and usurps a decision made at the state level.

Many who think of themselves as uber-conservatives want many of the things decided at the SCOTUS level, with a one-size fits all solution, totally negating people's decisions in a state level.

If we want less gov't, we need to understand and get back to States Rights.

[trumandogz]

I spend my teenage years at our fishing camp down in Buras working on a shrimp boat and much of my adult life working offshore out of Morgan City and Venice.

However, there has been great negative impact to the Louisiana coast from the oil industry. The most impact has been from the pipeline canals that broke up the marsh and caused a massive loss of grasslands. It is the loss of these grasslands that was the greatest factor in impact of Katrina and Rita on Louisiana.

[SERKIT]

I'll take the credit for McCain's change of position. I sent him the following in the form of a question: "Do you want to hear some straight talk about energy?"

My Energy Manifesto:

* Cease all ethanol-fuel production. It takes away from food production and the unintended consequence is higher food costs. As diesel prices go up, the cost of farming tips the balance of cost to make ethanol a bad idea. Just say "no" to ethanol! Even Jimmy Carter says that diverting farm production from food to fuel is dumb – even HE gets it. This will create only ONE "blend" of gasoline and will cease regional "boutique" blends (gasohols) which are stupid, costly, and meaningless. Trucking custom blends around the country is wasteful. Ethanol blends may actually lead to fewer miles to the gallon, and adds to the cost of production and transportation. Newer cars do not need oxygenated fuels.

* Lift the restrictions in order to drill for oil in Alaska, Gulf of Mexico, and other sites in the CONUS as a matter of national security.

* Encourage the petro industry to construct state-of-the-art refineries and/or retrofit current and dormant ones and crank up production for our newly-accessed oil in the CONUS.

* Make all “carbon credit” scams unlawful. Discrediting Algore should have been a slam-dunk a long time ago. Stop electing Reps who buy into the Global Warming / Global Cooling / Climate Change Hoax. CO2 is not our enemy!

* Construct SEVERAL, regional Pebble-Bed Modular Reactors (or other similar modern designs) that are rechargeable, and cleaner than any current nuclear generator design. Refine spent nuke fuel for recycling. DO SOMETHING NUCLEAR to resolve energy problems.

* Use the residual heat from the reactors above to process motor fuel from coal and/or shale. Even though Clinton "stole" some of the best coal reserves, we still have a lot to use.

* Become independent enough to make the cartels (i.e. OPEC) inconsequential.

* Convince local taxing bodies to lift or cap the sales tax on gasoline so that as gas prices go up, the local tax collectors don’t see a windfall revenue jump at the expense of the consumer. The Federal government could compel the states (and locals) to cap the fuel taxes.

If you squint real hard, and read between the lines, the ‘manifesto’ will require fewer RINOs and LibDems and the election of some clear-minded conservatives to even consider the above.

[maine-iac7]

Spills on land are much easier to clean up than those offshore. Someone has a myopic eye.

There's is a LOT of oil in the Gulf.

It is going to be drilled for...by Mexico and China. So the question is: Do we want to also start being dependent on Mexico and China for oil sucked from water on our own shores, or are we going to sink our own wells there,.

Sometimes, in FR, it seems that no matter what McC says, there is a knee-JERK reaction. If he said: "Look over there on the eastern horizon. What a beautiful sunrise." - many freepers would scream: "That's a sunSET, dummy!" Everyone's been screaming: drill domestic. Now he says drill the gulf, and it's 'well, you didn't pick MY favorite spot.' It's a big step in the right direction and perhaps, what with Mexico and China ginning up to drill the Gulf, it's the first-best place to get the okay to drill past DC...with the help of a great hue and cry FOR it from the public. Maybe we shouldn't be "myopic" and suddenly, because McC advocates it, throw water on it.

_{and don't waste your keyboard pounding to dismiss me as a McCainiac. He was not my first choice. He was not my second choice. He is, however, my reality choice.}

[maine-iac7]

McCain’s comment on offshore drilling is worthless since he stipulated that the individual states could decide if they wanted to drill off of their coasts. Florida and California will say No to drilling.

So you're not an advocate of States Rights? You prefer the Fed. Gov't rules?

Can't cherry pick. The Constitution is clear on States' Rights issues versus Federal.

Besides, Florida and California hardly control all the Gulf. We don't need drilling off every state. We just need to beat Mexico and China before they get the fields sewed up.

Good Lord. The man is saying let's drill. Just because he's the one who finally advocates it is not a reason to decry it because it won't be controlled by the Fed. gov't, but by the individual states, per the Constitution.

There are 6 more states on the gulf. count them

[ronnie raygun]

He’s not quite there yet but he’s getting close.

[trumandogz]

There are 6 more states on the gulf.

What six states are on the Gulf?

[trumandogz]

So you're not an advocate of States Rights? You prefer the Fed. Gov't rules?

Can't cherry pick. The Constitution is clear on States' Rights issues versus Federal.

Energy is a matter of national security and in matters of national security such as oil drilling, military bases and military recruitment stations, states and local governments should not have the right to refuse.

So, according to you, Florida should have the right to reject oil drilling off their coast and Berkeley should be able to reject an military recruitment office?

[okie01]

There are 6 more states on the gulf. count them

I did. And I count five (or four, if the reference was to "beyond Florida").

In any event, there has never been an issue with regard to drilling off Texas and Louisiana. Mississippi and Alabama don't have enough coastline to amount to squat (though there are already wells off the coast of Alabama).

Thus, the only "pristine" coastline on the Gulf belongs to Florida. And the most likely areas for oil exploration in the Pacific lie off the coast of California.

To be realistic, thanks to misinformation and enviro political pressure, neither state is going to approve of oil drilling off their coast.

Consequently, if there is to be any movement in this area, the President has to show some leadership. Accordingly, if McCain is indeed in favor of increasing domestic oil production, he can't conveniently dismiss it as a matter of states' rights.

My guess is that "states' rights" is a way for McCain to have both sides of the issue.

Don't give him more credit than he deserves.

[Earthdweller]

Please add me to your list. Thanks.

[zeebee]

The individual states should have no choice in the matter. It is a matter of national security at this point.

A constitutionalist would disagree. There are few matters when the federal government should overrule the states and I doubt if the price of gasoline fits the criteria.

[Norman Bates]

Welcome aboard!

[dfwgator]

“Well, it looks like the Senator done changed his position on offshore drillin’”

[Aria]

McCain outta take you on as a consultant.

[maine-iac7]

What six states are on the Gulf?

I said there are 6 more states on the Gulf besides Calif. and Fla.

And I posted the map so's people could see - and count???

But, they would be: Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama - no?

[gswilder]

All McCain has to do, is come out with a realistic and comprehensive energy policy. One that opens up drilling, and encourages more production. One that eliminates roadblocks to nuclear power. And long term, that provides incentives for truly alternative fuels.

Buy 30 minutes on all 3 networks. Advertise it. Make it a big event. Tell the truth about what the democrats and liberals and environmentalists have done to increase fuel prices.

He can win this in a landslide.

[okie01]

But, they would be: Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama - no

Arizona?

New Mexico?

On the Gulf of Mexico?

Or, for that matter, any Gulf?

M7, please check your Rand McNally...

[trumandogz]

Would you like to invest in some offshore drilling just off the Gulf Coast of New Mexico?

If so, Freepmail me and I will tell you where to send the check.