Reps. West, Wasserman Schultz agree on Everglades drilling opposition

The Hill ^ | 08/31/2011 | Alicia M. Cohn

[hout8475]

Rep. Allen West's (R-Fla.) opposition to oil-and-gas drilling in the Everglades put him on the side of his fellow Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D), with whom West has feuded publicly.

[hout8475]

Is this yet another strike against the honorable congressman or could he just be representing the views of his constituents?

[cripplecreek]

The fact is that she never suggested actually drilling in the glades other than as an example that it shouldn’t be off limits if done safely. (like it apparently is today)

[lonestar67]

They both need to be attacked as taking pro-pollution stances.

Bans on drilling here are incentives to drill overseas. These bans have never once reduced consumption of such resources and everyone knows the regulations are less everywhere else.

[Recovering_Democrat]

uh, no, Debbie Wasserdork Schmuck just happens to agree with Allen West.

The Hussein poodle agrees with an honorablel man.

[plain talk]

West is an honorable man and foolishly wrong on this issue. We should be drilling everywhere there is oil - no exceptions. West is a good guy so I cut his some slack - no politician is always right.

[cripplecreek]

I'm tired of people declaring all of these places off limits. After all, its no different than declaring ANWR off limits. Its a "unique" environment too, as is virtually every other place on the planet.

I hope Michelle Bachmann calls for overturning the Great Lakes Directional drilling ban as well. My Michigan congressman will be right there with her.

State geologists estimate that approximately 30 wells could be directionally drilled under the Great Lakes. Directional drilling, sometimes referred to as slant drilling, is performed at an angle, allowing placement of the well head onshore rather than on a drilling platform in the lake. While director of the Department of Environmental Quality in 1996, I was approached by companies interested in exploring for oil and gas under the Great Lakes. I asked the Michigan Environmental Science Board (a group of scientists, mostly from universities, with environmental and natural resource expertise) to study whether directional drilling under the Great Lakes posed any threat to natural resources.

The Board concluded: "There is little to no risk of contamination to the Great Lakes bottom or waters through releases directly above the bottom hole portion of directionally drilled wells." The Board went on to say: "There is, however, a small risk of contamination at the well head." The board made recommendations on steps that could be taken to mitigate any impact to the Great Lakes from the well head, including locating the wells at least 1,000 feet from the shoreline and implementing proper waste disposal measures. Before the ban, eight wells had been directionally drilled under the Great Lakes without environmental harm.

Great Lakes Directional Drilling Ban Should Be Lifted

[sargon]

Allen West is the representative in my district. I had the privilege of voting for him in 2010 to defeat liberal Democrat Ron Klein.

I don't agree with Lt. Col. West on every issue, but I know him to be a man of integrity.

I've been saying recently, on threads related to Bachmann's Everglades drilling gaffe, that we South Floridians are very protective of the Everglades, and I think that Rep. West's position here is very much in line with the majority of his constituents across the political spectrum.

Basically, and fortunately, it doesn't make much economic sense to drill in the Everglades. Much more fruitful oil production probably lies off the Florida coast somewhere in the Atlantic or Gulf.

[okie01]

Is this yet another strike against the honorable congressman or could he just be representing the views of his constituents?

Seems to me that the Everglades also represent a legitimate environmental concern.

Drilling for oil & gas is relatively enviromental friendly. But drilling requires a couple of actions that would be extremely damaging to an environment like the Everglades. For one, a network of all-weather, heavy-duty roads -- with would tend to totally disrupt the drainage pattern. And, for another, a network of collection pipelines -- excavation for which would also disrupt the drainage pattern.

The Everglades aren't like the Louisiana swamps, remember. You couldn't barge in the equipment and service it by boat.

[cripplecreek]

My congressman once (as a state rep) opposed drilling under the great lakes but changed his position over the years due to better drilling techniques and the fact that constituent attitudes changed.

We’re protective of our lakes but the ban was enacted based on lies and rhetoric.

[sargon]

After all, its no different than declaring ANWR off limits

ANWR is not the basis of the entire state ecosystem.

Apples and oranges.

I'm with my congressman, Rep. West, on this one. And I'm a (Constitutional) libertarian.

[cripplecreek]

I really don’t care what you think. I noticed that on the last thread you just spouted your blather and didn’t bother listening to anyone else. (like the part about the crowd cheering when she said it)

[Captain7seas]

Audubon has little objection to oil production when THEY CAN MAKE MONEY on it:http://www.examiner.com/green-living-in-new-orleans/audubon-society-may-allow-oil-drilling-new-orleans-wetlands

Also, they had the deed restrictions lifted on land they own in the Everglades so they could drill there.

A google search will bring up the info on it

[wilco200]

I f there’s oil there and it’s Federal land, we should drill there.

So now we know, West is pro-biog spending, pro-envirowackiness.

Strike two on West.

[cripplecreek]

Michigan is a swamp as well and they drill all over the place here. Most people aren’t even aware that the drilling is going on which is an indicator of the “horrifying environmental damage” being done.

[sargon]

I expressed my opinion. Sorry if that offended you...

[cripplecreek]

Last time I was up north I saw logging in the national forest. It “scars” the forest for a few years but it grows back and provides prime habitat for the Kirtland Warbler. The Warblers spend their summers in Michigan only.

[Will88]

Many in Florida seem to be against any sort of drilling for oil, on or offshore, because they fear it will threaten their tourist industry, which so many are dependent upon.

But there is also probably no state so dependent upon petroleum products and fuel to power all the vehicles and planes tourists utilize to get to their Florida vacation destinations.

[Captain7seas]

Link to Audubon oil drilling in wildlife refuges

http://www.independent.org/newsroom/news_detail.asp?newsID=15

[Roos_Girl]

Both roads and pipes can be constructed without significantly altering existing drainage patterns.

[cripplecreek]

People need to drop the fantasy that all human activities are harmful to the critters and land.

Kirtland's Warbler (Dendroica kirtlandii) is a small songbird of the New World warbler family (Parulidae), named after Jared P. Kirtland, an Ohio doctor and amateur naturalist. Nearly extinct just 50 years ago, it is well on its way to recovery. It requires large areas (> 160 acres) of dense young jack pine for its breeding habitat. This habitat was historically created by wildfire, but today is primarily created through the harvest of mature jack pine, and planting of jack pine seedlings.



Its worth noting that we have active wells in every single county in the lower peninsula and that includes where the birds are.