WSJ.com - President Is Urged To Press Florida On Gulf Drilling
WSJ.com - President Is Urged To Press Florida On Gulf Drilling
By JOHN J. FIALKA
Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
October 7, 2005; Page A4
WASHINGTON -- The Senate Energy Committee's chairman, citing a "national crisis" looming in the shortage of natural gas, wants President Bush to persuade his brother, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, to allow more drilling in a gas-rich area in the Gulf of Mexico.
If expanded drilling in federal areas in the Gulf can't be worked out administratively, Sen. Pete Domenici (R., N.M.) said, he is prepared for a "full-blown debate" on the Senate floor, one that may have to overcome a filibuster by Florida's senators.
Sen. Domenici's move came after Andrew N. Liveris, chief executive and president of Dow Chemical Co., told the energy panel that much of his industry and hundreds of thousands of high-paying U.S. jobs would move offshore unless natural-gas prices came down. He noted that the wholesale price has risen to $14 per thousand cubic feet, which Mr. Liveris said is the equivalent of paying $7 for a gallon of gasoline.
"We're in a hurry. We need to get this thing going," Sen. Domenici said. If the Bush administration authorized drilling in what is called the "101 sale area," gas production could begin in two years, Sen. Domenici said. Mr. Liveris said the industry estimates there may be 25 trillion cubic feet of gas in the 5.9-million-acre area -- more gas than the U.S. consumes in a year.
Gov. Bush's aides are negotiating with House Resources Committee Chairman Richard Pombo (R., Calif.), who also wants the area opened to drilling. The site is 213 miles west of Tampa and about 100 miles south of the Florida panhandle. Florida politicians have vehemently opposed plans to open it up, saying exploration might ruin Florida's beaches.
"Gov. Bush's interest is in strengthening protections of Florida's coastline beyond the 100-mile protections that we currently have, and that includes some areas where there is natural-gas and oil drilling," spokeswoman Deena Reppen said.
Michele St. Martin, spokeswoman for the White House's Council on Environmental Quality, said President Bush "has consistently deferred to the wishes of states to determine what activities take place off their coasts." She added, however, that he "welcomes the efforts of the governors" and congressional delegations to arrange compromises that consider the nation's need for additional energy.
By JOHN J. FIALKA
Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
October 7, 2005; Page A4
WASHINGTON -- The Senate Energy Committee's chairman, citing a "national crisis" looming in the shortage of natural gas, wants President Bush to persuade his brother, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, to allow more drilling in a gas-rich area in the Gulf of Mexico.
If expanded drilling in federal areas in the Gulf can't be worked out administratively, Sen. Pete Domenici (R., N.M.) said, he is prepared for a "full-blown debate" on the Senate floor, one that may have to overcome a filibuster by Florida's senators.
Sen. Domenici's move came after Andrew N. Liveris, chief executive and president of Dow Chemical Co., told the energy panel that much of his industry and hundreds of thousands of high-paying U.S. jobs would move offshore unless natural-gas prices came down. He noted that the wholesale price has risen to $14 per thousand cubic feet, which Mr. Liveris said is the equivalent of paying $7 for a gallon of gasoline.
"We're in a hurry. We need to get this thing going," Sen. Domenici said. If the Bush administration authorized drilling in what is called the "101 sale area," gas production could begin in two years, Sen. Domenici said. Mr. Liveris said the industry estimates there may be 25 trillion cubic feet of gas in the 5.9-million-acre area -- more gas than the U.S. consumes in a year.
Gov. Bush's aides are negotiating with House Resources Committee Chairman Richard Pombo (R., Calif.), who also wants the area opened to drilling. The site is 213 miles west of Tampa and about 100 miles south of the Florida panhandle. Florida politicians have vehemently opposed plans to open it up, saying exploration might ruin Florida's beaches.
"Gov. Bush's interest is in strengthening protections of Florida's coastline beyond the 100-mile protections that we currently have, and that includes some areas where there is natural-gas and oil drilling," spokeswoman Deena Reppen said.
Michele St. Martin, spokeswoman for the White House's Council on Environmental Quality, said President Bush "has consistently deferred to the wishes of states to determine what activities take place off their coasts." She added, however, that he "welcomes the efforts of the governors" and congressional delegations to arrange compromises that consider the nation's need for additional energy.
posted by Marcel at 4:31 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home