Posted on 07/23/2010 1:13:31 PM PDT by jessduntno
A federal judge on Wednesday questioned Interior Secretary Ken Salazar's justification for canceling 77 drilling leases sold by the Bush administration around national parks in Utah.
A U.S. Justice Department lawyer maintained Salazar had good reason to cancel the leases - and that a lease isn't a lease until Salazar decides to issue one.
Until the government decides to release a parcel for leasing, even after an auction, it doesn't have to do it, Tyler Welti argued.
Those arguments seemed to leave U.S. District Judge Dee Benson less than satisfied during a two-hour hearing, the first in a lawsuit brought by energy producers over Salazar's February 2009 decision to cancel much of the lease sale held in the final month of President George W. Bush's administration.
Benson didn't indicate how he would rule but repeatedly challenged the government to explain how it could get around laws that say the government "shall" lease lands it puts up for auction to the highest bidder.
"They could probably fool a lot of people when they say, 'We're having a lease sale,'" Benson said. "'Are you selling leases?' 'Yes, if we decide to.'"
(Excerpt) Read more at cbsnews.com ...
These bstrds can't keep getting away with this if See BS reports it...
So the Feds cancel drilling leases in land locked Utah because of a deep water blow out? Makes perfect sense to me /s
Fascism ... The government lets you own property, but tells you how to use it.
This Government intends to force their Green Bull sheet on us by starving us for energy .
How hard is that to figure out?
A quick primer on the very thoroughly discussed difference between “SHALL issue” and “MAY issue” on firearms licenses should help these morons figure out what “SHALL” means.
Salazar should be in jail on contempt charges.
The Obama Marxists keep rolling along.
The 0bama-Democrat-RINO (Progressive) "No Domestic Energy Policy!"
All of that puts the U.S. in a position that war for oil or
complete economic collapse will be our only choices.
You can't frustrate every source of domestic energy
without consequences. Our enemies will blackmail us
to the extent that we are vulnerable to blackmail.
0bama, the Democrats and RINOs are leading us into a real war for oil.
A war we won't have the energy to fight.
A war we don't need to fight because we have our own resources.
It Begins… First Oil Rig Relocates From Gulf to Foreign Waters
"As a result of the uncertainties surrounding the offshore drilling moratorium, we are actively seeking international opportunities to keep our rigs fully employed," Dickerson said. "We greatly regret the loss of U.S. jobs that will result from this rig relocation."
Idled Gulf Rigs Head For Africa
It is not just Gulf operations that are being effected either.
Wait and see for Shell {Shell puts Arctic drilling plans on hold, waiting on feds}
Let's not leave the refineries out.
No, this took place in Feb. 2009.
yitbos
Hahaha...good one!
In your “No” list, you forgot to add “No Shame” ...
questioned Interior Secretary Ken Salazar's justification for canceling 77 drilling leases sold by the Bush administration around national parks in Utah.
Just like Soviet Russia, once something belonged to "the people", only the highest level Communist leaders and their apparatchiks had use and control of it.
There is a word for this type of activity...FRAUD.
The insane war on domestic energy continues. Most people don’t grasp how totally the one is gripped by the fantasy of a “green economy,” and how undeterred by reality.
This lamearse Jack Squat CRIME, INC. administration’s day of truth is fast approaching.......
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