May 22, 2008 - 8:19am
Bartlett reverses on ANWR drilling
By Wally EdgeRep. Roscoe Bartlett is the sole co-sponsor of Alaska Rep. Don Young's bill to direct the Secretary of the Interior to open up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) for oil exploration and drilling. The push for drilling is a reversal of position for Bartlett, who acknowledged that circumstances have forced him to flip-flop on the issue.
"I have resisted drilling in ANWR because I believe that these oil reserves are like money in the bank that is yielding huge interest rates," Bartlett said. "I don't think you ought to rush to the bank and pull it out and spend it."
Today, with oil at $134 per barrel, there is obviously no surplus energy or capital to invest in alternatives. I am joining as an original cosponsor of this new bill because it dedicates the entire federal share of revenues from ANWR to increase federal investments in the research, development and production of cleaner domestic, alternative and renewable sources of energy, energy efficiency and conservation.
Of course, it is impossible to drill without some environmental impact. However, I have been to ANWR. I am convinced that the environmental impact will be minimal.
Article Tools
Contributors
Wally Edge
The environment is Republican Andy Harris' biggest hurdle on his path to Congress from the 1st District, though the issue has been largely ... >
Rob Tornoe
I’m off through July 23 for some much needed rest and relaxation. I'll be heading up to Niagara Falls and Buffalo, and then down to wine ... >
P. Kenneth Burns
It looks like the No Child Left Behind act is working, despite the controversy that followed when it was implemented in 2002. It should also be ... >
David Paulson
Better late than never. Well, some folks think so anyway.
The truth is, last weekend’s program featuring talk radio host Bob Ehrlich ... >
Top Tags
Most Active Stories
- Kratovil campaign responds to Harris camp’s internal poll
- Hoyer calls for DHS to release further information on Maryland surveillance program
- Will it spill over in the First?
- For Barve’s political career, DUI incident remains a small issue if any
- Harris campaign: New intenal poll puts Harris 16 points ahead of Kratovil
- New Harris poll: the hard numbers
- O’Malley testifies in front of U.S. Senate subcommittee
- Hoyer, Cardin, Mikulski secure federal charter for KWVA
- McCain visit sparks loud reaction
- Montgomery GOP Central Committee picks new members
- Younger Glendening will likely stay behind the scenes
- Please define "landslide"
- Candidates vie for Britt's seat
- Harris handily wins GOP activists' straw poll
- Dougherty is water off Duck's back
- Another Paul supporter files for Congress
- Ron Paul endorses Hoyer challenger
- SEIU COPE launches anti-Wynn ads
- Party affiliation continues to swing Democratic
- Reacting to endorsements, Kennedy Townsend compares Clinton to RFK
Quote of the Day
July 24, 2008
"It is my belief that Currie used his official position and influence in connection with such legislation and in certain business transactions involving the state of Maryland in ways that benefited and would have benefited [Shoppers Food and Pharmacy]."
- FBI Special Agent Steven Quisenberry, in the affidavit to raid state. Sen. Ulysses Currie's home.
- Washington Post 07/23/08
Recent Press Releases
Syndicate
Honest discussion on ANWR is lacking...
I would be more reassured about claims of environmental safety and responsible wildlife custodianship, if not for the muzzling of qualified scientists who have contrary information. I'm sure this sort of debasement of science would gladden the black heart of the long deceased and unlamented Trofim Lysenko, but I wasn't aware we in the US were now in the business of trying to emulate Stalin's apparatchiks, simply because the multinational corporations with a stake in the results could not win on an issue by honest means using verifiable information.
Given a history of censorship and interference by political hacks in scientific environmental evaluations - which has become particularly prevalent in the current Federal Administration - there is little reason to simply take the word of the wealthy and well connected proponents of ANWR drilling, nor the media shills who front for them. [And that goes for a number of other big issues across the board - environment, health, defense,... the list goes on.]
Overdue
The pipeline in AK is commonly used to birth calves by caribou due to the extra warmth provided. The impact hasn't seemed to have been all that detrimental to wildlife as a result of drilling at Prudhoe Bay.
I would firmly support the comencement of drilling at ANWAR as a short-term measure to flood the market with oil and drop prices while long-needed alternative energies are developed. I would only support it as long as R&D is stepped up in the alternative energy fields (even if it means taxpayer funded), otherwise we are only prolonging the inevitable at the cost of our decendants.
Are those the same Saudi's
Are those the same Saudi's who have their own highly-paid foreign agent/lobbyist as the chief campaign advisor to John McCain?
And another has McCain's top energy policy advisor?
Let us know how well the ANWR drilling goes when it finally gets cooking in about 2020.
THANK YOU, ROSCOE!
It's about time we start producing American oil instead of sending $billions to Saudi oil sheiks and socialist dictators and begging them to produce more for us.
Post new comment