Committee blocks oil, gas drilling
Daily Press: News
Hampton Roads, Virginia -
June 8, 2007 9:36 AM
Customer Service (Related) ·Subscribe (Related) ·Place an Ad (Related) ·Jobs (Related) ·Cars (Related) ·Real Estate (Related) ·Shopping (Related) ·Contact Us (Related) ·Advertiser Index (Related)
Search:
Site / Archives
Web
Email this story (Related)
Printer friendly format (Related) Search archives (Related)
TOP STORIES
Most e-mailed stories
in the past 24 hours:• New dog food recall hits Virginia (Related)
• UPDATE: School ends without incident (Related)
• UPDATE: ...you live in "The 757" when... (Related)
More top 20 e-mailed stories (Related)
Home (Related) About Us (Related) News (Related) Opinion (Related) Today's Views (Related) Post Your Views (Related) Blogs (Related) Opinion Columns (Related) News Columns (Related) Sports Columns (Related) Life Columns (Related) Submit Letters (Related) Submit Feedback (Related) Sports (Related) Local (Related) Columnists (Related) Blogs (Related) Photo Gallery (Related) National (Related) Stats, Scores, More (Related) Racing (Related) Fantasy Racing (Related) Fishing Report (Related) Find Local Courses (Related) Business (Related) Local (Related) National News (Related) Tech News (Related) Your Money (Related) Local Stocks (Related) Advertiser Index (Related) Entertainment (Related) Local (Related) Today's Events (Related) Main Events (Related) Search Events (Related) Restaurants (Related) Music/Clubs (Related) Museums (Related) Movies (Related) TV Listings (Related) Life (Related) Life Today (Related) Columnists (Related) Travel (Related) Gardening (Related) Dating (Related) Health (Related) Living Here (Related) Special Occasions (Related) Multimedia Shows (Related) Comics & More (Related) Classifieds (Related) All ads (Related) ShopLocal (Related) Personals (Related) Homes (Related) Apartments (Related) Jobs (Related) Cars (Related) Site Index (Related) Register (Related) Newsletters (Related) Multimedia Shows (Related) Customer Service (Related) Contact Us (Related) Advertiser Index (Related) White & Yellow Pages (Related) Obituaries (Related) Register (Related)
Peninsula (Related) South of James (Related) Williamsburg (Related) Middle Peninsula (Related) Obituaries (Related) Columnists (Related) Virginia (Related) Nation/World (Related) Special Projects (Related)
News
Committee blocks oil, gas drilling The lopsided vote marks a striking reversal from the outcome of just a year ago. NATION: OFFSHORE DRILLING --
A House committee easily defeated an effort Thursday to open the nation's coasts to offshore drilling for natural gas.
The proposal by Pennsylvania Republican Rep. John Peterson would have partially lifted a longtime federal ban against offshore oil and gas drilling by allowing drilling for gas beyond 25 miles from shore. But the House Appropriations Committee quashed the measure on a lopsided vote of 25 to 39.
Virginia lawmakers have expressed strong interest in offshore drilling, saying the state could reap billions of dollars in new revenue. Gov. Timothy M. Kaine, however, has tread cautiously on the issue, saying officials should explore how much gas and oil might be available before deciding whether to drill.
Thursday's vote marked a striking reversal from the outcome of just a year ago, when the full House passed a bill to lift the ban for both oil and gas. But last fall's elections brought Democrats to power who are more resistant to drilling for fear of the environmental risk.
"It would very seriously compromise the fishing industry and the tourism industry," said Virginia Rep. James P. Moran Jr., D-Alexandria, who opposed the measure. He and other critics said offshore drilling also could interfere with military training exercises at sea, particularly off the Virginia and Florida coasts.
Still others warned drilling could dredge up dangerous toxins onto beaches and said it was impractical to issue leases for natural gas but not oil as well.
Peterson and his supporters dismissed those concerns as overblown.
Most other nations drill safely off their coasts, they said, and no natural-gas wells have ever polluted a beach. With gas prices now at record highs, they said, the United States must begin producing more to keep American industries competitive.
"Natural gas is the cleanest, greenest fuel we have," Peterson said. "We're the only country in the world that has locked up its continental shelf."
But some moderate Republicans, particularly from coastal states, joined Democrats in opposing the measure.
"It does put at risk some very environmentally fragile areas," said Rep. Bill Young, R-Fla., who represents the St. Petersburg area.
While a Republican-controlled House passed an offshore drilling bill last year, the Senate refused to go along.
It restricted offshore drilling to a portion of the Gulf of Mexico.
Peterson, a leading advocate for drilling in the House, said he was disappointed by Thursday's vote but would introduce a more comprehensive offshore drilling bill of his own in coming weeks.
More Local News
More Local Sports
Get home delivery of the Daily Press for less than $3.33 a week. (Related) Get home delivery of the Daily Press for less than $3.33 a week.
Try our dining, travel, entertainment and gardening newsletters. Subscribe (Related)
Click the tabs below to view the top videos in our different categories. Click the "More" tab to view our full video selection.
Local
News (Related) Sports (Related) Business (Related) Entertainment (Related) Viral
Video (Related) Nation/World (Related) More... (Related)
News (Related) Sports (Related) Business (Related) Entertainment (Related) Viral
Video (Related) Nation/World (Related) More... (Related)
NEWS CONTACTS
Crime and Courts Editor
Felicia Mason (Related) | 247-4621
Reporter - Newport News / Hampton Police
Shawn Day (Related) | 247-4816
Reporter - Crime and Justice
Jennifer Latson (Related) | 247-4731
Felicia Mason (Related) | 247-4621
Reporter - Newport News / Hampton Police
Shawn Day (Related) | 247-4816
Reporter - Crime and Justice
Jennifer Latson (Related) | 247-4731
Reporter - Isle of Wight / Suffolk / Surry Schools, General Assignment
Alicia Wittmeyer (Related) | 247-7420
Alicia Wittmeyer (Related) | 247-7420
COMMUNITY NEWS CONTACTS
PHOTO DEPARTMENT
MULTIMEDIA
No comments:
Post a Comment