Posted on 08/29/2011 11:40:40 AM PDT by Sub-Driver
Wasserman Schultz attacks Bachmann suggestion of Everglades drilling By Michael O'Brien - 08/29/11 01:28 PM ET
Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), thwacked Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) for saying she would consider allowing fossil fuel exploration in the Everglades.
Wasserman Schultz seized on comments by Bachmann, a Republican presidential candidate, suggesting she would allow exploration for oil or natural gas in the preserved Florida areas if it could be done responsibly.
"We need to look forward and invest in the future, and we won’t get there with unthinkable, reckless and irresponsible Republican proposals like drilling for oil in the Everglades," Wasserman Schultz said Monday in a statement. "As a Floridian, I can see that Michele Bachmann's outrageous proposal to drill for oil and natural gas in the Everglades, demonstrates just how out of touch Republicans are with the needs of Floridians and all Americans."
Bachmann raised the possibility of allowing exploration in the Everglades during a video interview Sunday with The Associated Press.
"The United States needs to be less dependent on foreign sources of energy, and more dependent on American resourcefulness," Bachmann told the AP. "Whether that is in the Everglades or whether that is in the eastern Gulf region or whether that is in North Dakota, we need to go over the energy rules."
The congresswoman, a Tea Party favorite, has made energy a key element of her campaign trail rhetoric as she pursues the Republican presidential nomination. Bachmann vowed earlier this month in South Carolina that, were she elected, the price of gasoline would fall to less than $2 per gallon. She didn't back down from that remark.
Bachmann said that her approval of drilling in the Everglades — or anywhere else — would depend on whether she thought it could be done responsibly.
"If we can't responsibly access energy in the Everglades, then we shouldn't do it," she said. "No one wants to hurt or contaminate the earth. We don't want to harm our water ... From there, though, that doesn't mean that the two have to be mutually exclusive. We can protect the environment, and do so responsibly, but we can also protect the environment and not kill jobs in America, and not deny ourselves access to the energy resources that America's been so blessed with."
The issue of offshore drilling has always been a touchy political issue in Florida, where the tourism industry depends on clean beaches. That industry was jeopardized last year as a result of the BP oil spill off the coast of Louisiana, the effects of which extended to Florida. Support for drilling offshore in Florida, in the past, has often hinged on its distance from the shore.
That makes Bachmann's comments even more politically thorny, given Florida's status as both a key primary state and a key swing state in the general election.
"Michele Bachmann’s latest proposal to drill in the Florida Everglades is just another example of the Republican Party supporting policies that would only further enrich the special interests, while putting our environment and working families at risk," the Wasserman Schultz said.
Debbie, you could walk into the everglades and ugly the crude oil out of the ground. John, here is one you can hit out of the park.
Wassaerman Shultz is an amateur.
Debbie Stabenow has been demanding that Canada stop drilling under the great lakes. So far they seem to be ignoring her.
Bachmann should take Wasserman Schultz’s comments as a gift, that instead of responding meekly, she should tear in the Democrats insane push to ruin America by stopping energy production.
And part of that, air conditioning, is very close to the hearts of Floridians.
“Would you like to live outside in the heat and humidity of the Florida summer? Want to see the inside walls of your homes covered in sweat and black mold? To never feel cool and clean? To not be able to drive or fly away when it is that bad out? THAT’s what the Democrats want for you! Like being homeless and camping out in the swamp. THAT’s what the Democrats are trying desperately to do. THEY want to make all our lives miserable and nasty, because they have weird fantasies about tearing down America.”
Perhaps, but I'd find it rather enjoyable to drill in the everglades just to tick ol' Wassername Schlitz off a bit!
And her ex-husband didn't listen to her rules on drilling either, especially in or around Exit 69, Big Beaver Road ( I am not making that up...)
We need a better Senator...
“I had no idea.”
Neither had I. But I figured I’d better look before commenting. Pretty interesting, eh?
I don’t think we could do much worse than Stupidcow.
Republican Party supporting policies that would only further enrich the special interests,
Whereas Democrats support policies that only impoverish everyone except special interests. The two parties compliment each other perfectly.
Is there any indication that there is oil under the everglades?... I looked and can’t find any explorations there. However, just from my experience a few months ago, it wasn’t anything but saw grass, alligators and canals to get through. I don’t see how they could drill it anyways, unless directional. Place was wild, but sort of a mindboggling...nothing. (Waiting for flames).
Washerwoman-Schultz should know something about drilling!
She’s scheduled for a frontal lobotomy.
Yes, keep reading down the thread. We have produced oil from the area for decades.
The Raccoon Point Oil Wells are an extraction inside the Everglades Big Cypress preserve, originally conducted by Exxon in 1978. These sites produce comparatively little oil, about 1,800 barrels a day from 5 operating wells, and the crude oil is generally low-grade and high in sulfur content. The deposits are located about 2 miles below the surface, known as the Sunniland Trend, and is extracted by Calumet of Florida who lease drilling rights from Collier Enterprises.
Once the oil is extracted, a 4,000-foot pipeline transports the oil to the Miccosukee Indian Reservation north of Interstate 75, and from there it is trucked to Port Everglades. It is then barged to Gulf Coast refineries. At the site, holding tanks, storage areas and pumps are arranged around a central staging area, with brine surrounding the platforms to catch any spillage. The wells at Raccoon Point are powered mostly by natural gas, a petroleum byproduct. The excess gas is fired off in a stack a short distance away. Because there is little natural gas here, it is not economical to market.
The major concern from environmentalists is of further human and industrial incursions into this delicate ecosystem. Collier Resources Company, proposed the construction of a landing strip and conduct seismic testing in the interest of building several new oil wells. In mid-2006, the Colliers withdrew their request for more oil drilling, as the amount of oil produced versus its costs were unprofitable. With offshore drilling becoming a local and national topic once more, drilling for oil in Big Cypress is likely “on hold” for now.
http://wikimapia.org/1079408/Raccoon-Point-Oil-Wells
Not just Raccoon Point.
Bear Island and Sunniland Field have each already produced 13 million barrels of oil and continue to produce today.
There is oil in the area.
My neighbor who lives primarily in Florida now has changed is mind in favor of more drilling.
He had the classic fantasy of drilling rigs across the horizon. I showed him a photo of one that sat right across the lake from us and showed him that all that remains is a set of pipes with valves that poke up out of the weeds and are pretty much invisible. The rig was built and gone inside of a month.
I don’t understand how they were ever allowed to drill in the Everglades. I am against drilling there. I grew up in So. Fla. and lived there until 1998 and I understand how important the Everglades are to drinking water. Bad idea. I know - NIMBY - but in this case, I think the vast majority would say NO!
In 2002, the federal government at the urging of President George W. Bush bought back oil and gas drilling rights in the Everglades for $120 million.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/feedarticle/9819733
This might surprise you, but people in Texas and Louisiana and all the other drilling states drink water too.
Drilling and production can be done safely. Spills do get cleaned up if/when they happen.
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