We need a bill. We can not be content with just letting the OCS ban expire! Although that would be a start. We need a bill that not only allows drilling anywhere (OCS and On Shore) but also removes the environmentalist and their lobbyists and their lawyers from the equation. Just letting the current ban expire does nothing to prevent such groups from suing every oil lease awarded. Such cases often remain tied in court for years and thus preventing drilling. Just ask Chevron about their Destin Dome lease in the eastern Gulf of Mexico.
According to research presented by Rep. John Shadegg (R-Az), the Bush Administration issued 487 leases last February in the Chukchi Sea -- environmental lawyers challenged every one.
Oh and those were challenges just to the issuance of the leases - when the oil companies try do do actual exploration there will be more litigation - and when they actually want to drill for production - guess what?
“Nothing will prevent lawsuits by green zealots seeking to forestall drilling indefinitely.”
I agree with you. But eventually, they will run out of money. (At least that is how I see it.)
You are right. The expiration of the ban does not remove uncertainty. Even if the ban expires now, there will be a future bill. The industry will not act until a future bill is enacted. If it was unlikely that a future bill would be enacted, the industry would make steps to act.
Regardless of any future bill, the left will attempt to stop energy exploration. The only thing that can stop the left is legislation to curtail their rights to bring third party lawsuits. The environmental left is the fifth branch of government. The ability to bring third party lawsuits is almost an absolute power to obstruct. Unfortunately, I see no prospects that third party lawsuits will be curtailed in future legislation.
The forces against energy exploration and development are very strong. The environmental left has much more power than the cover provided by the rats. If the rats cave on energy exploration legislation, the green will try everything to stop development.
Welcome the fight. See what fighting has earned us? Standing up may be hard but the environmentalists have never really had a majority on energy issues. They are bullies and BIG GREEN is on its knees right now partially because of the wondrous work of Al Gore overplaying his hand.