There is a concerted effort on the part of the Obama administration to choke the growth of domestic supplies of fossil fuels. Instead, we have a President obsessed with windmills.
Now it's Alaska (h/t reader sort of rynic rhyme):
Shell Oil Company has announced it must scrap efforts to drill for oil this summer in the Arctic Ocean off the northern coast of Alaska. The decision comes following a ruling by the EPA’s Environmental Appeals Board to withhold critical air permits. The move has angered some in Congress and triggered a flurry of legislation aimed at stripping the EPA of its oil drilling oversight.
Shell has spent five years and nearly $4 billion dollars on plans to explore for oil in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas. The leases alone cost $2.2 billion. Shell Vice President Pete Slaiby says obtaining similar air permits for a drilling operation in the Gulf of Mexico would take about 45 days. He’s especially frustrated over the appeal board’s suggestion that the Arctic drill would somehow be hazardous for the people who live in the area. “We think the issues were really not major,” Slaiby said, “and clearly not impactful for the communities we work in.”
The closest village to where Shell proposed to drill is Kaktovik, Alaska. It is one of the most remote places in the United States. According to the latest census, the population is 245 and nearly all of the residents are Alaska natives. The village, which is 1 square mile, sits right along the shores of the Beaufort Sea, 70 miles away from the proposed off-shore drill site.
The EPA’s appeals board ruled that Shell had not taken into consideration emissions from an ice-breaking vessel when calculating overall greenhouse gas emissions from the project. Environmental groups were thrilled by the ruling.Remember, these are the same bureaucrats who soon will be running the health care system.
Update: And possibly Texas now (h/t reader James):
A three-inch lizard that thrives in desert conditions could shut down oil and gas operations in portions of Southeast New Mexico and in West Texas, including the state's top two oil producing counties....
Called the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard, it is being considered for inclusion on the federal Endangered Species listing by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.--------------------------------------------
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Meanwhile, "Crap Sandwich" deli entrepreneur John Boehner finds common ground with Obama over oil company profits.
ReplyDeletehttp://abcnews.go.com/Politics/house-speaker-john-boehner-obama-ontime-grow/story?id=13454491
Don't get fooled by the headline. Watch the video. Boehner is no capitalist. Also trust Obama but thinks he is lying to the American people. That's called "middle ground" in the District of Corruption.
We have yet to learn our lessons! We continue to yearn for fossil fuels. Shame on us. There will be no drilling until we admit we are wrong, return all Dhimis to office - everywhere - and change our minds about living under the benefits of sharia law. Until then, no drilling, baby.
ReplyDeleteYou know, funny thing. It's been less than a year since BP tried to destroy the Gulf, and here you are, saying we should continue to ignore EPA regulations.
ReplyDeleteSince the US has less than 5% of the world's population, and uses almost a quarter of the world's oil, you think maybe we could cut back just a little?
But let's put that aside. You linked to yourself claiming "Our Future? Wind Farms Forced To Shut When Wind Blows" - which is a cute way to translate the fact that some wind turbines get shut down once in a while, when generation exceeds consumption.
"Wind power can't take over from oil! Sometimes it's too efficient!" How does that even make sense to you?
Could you at least try to be intellectually honest once in a while?
@Nameless Cynic - Wind power is not a substitute for fossil fuels or nuclear power because it cannot be stored, and it is dependent upon weather conditions. At best, it can serve as a supplement if the conditions and consumption fall into place. Nothing intellectually dishonest about noting that. Now ignoring the reality of the limitations, that's another thing.
ReplyDelete"since BP tried to destroy the Gulf"
ReplyDelete*snort*
Innumerate, much?
"a cute way to translate the fact that some wind turbines get shut down once in a while, when generation exceeds consumption"
Actually, winds can get too strong for the "turbines", requiring them to be shut down to prevent damage.
"Since the US has less than 5% of the world's population, and uses almost a quarter of the world's oil, you think maybe we could cut back just a little?"
Why? So we can be as poor as the rest of the world?
Personally, I'd prefer we use more of other sources of energy, but the only ones that are reliable and economic enough have been declared anathema by the religious fanatics on the left. So, DRILL BABY, DRILL!
@nameless cynic - The professor is correct. I say, until you can strap a windmill to my Subaru and make it go, I'm going to need some "fossil fuel" to get me to work. I think it's a little disingenuous to make the leap to compare the two. Also, I think you are missing the bigger picture here. It appears that only American companies are not being allowed to drill. The administration is having no problem allowing the Brazilian oil company, Petrobras, to drill in the Gulf of Mexico. (See http://www.thenewamerican.com/index.php/tech-mainmenu-30/energy/6824-obama-commits-american-support-to-brazilian-oil)
ReplyDelete@ NC: Since the US has less than 5% of the world's population, and uses almost a quarter of the world's oil, you think maybe we could cut back just a little?
ReplyDeleteWhy only cut back 'just a little'? Assuming your numbers are correct we'd have to cut back 80% on average just to be fair. Anything less and one of your innumerate kin would pop up demanding even more cuts.
@NC: The U.S. consumes a quarter of the world's oil, but we produce almost 27% of the world's GDP. What's your problem?
ReplyDeleteLook, we all should agree that they will not stop until we all go back to the Dark Ages. This is just part of The Plan.
ReplyDelete@WAJ: True, but everything has limitations. Why abandon the supplement?
ReplyDelete@Rob Crawford: “Innumerate much?”
Nope. I count just fine. You read much?
“Actually, winds can get too strong for the "turbines", requiring them to be shut down to prevent damage.”
True. About 50 mph. Your point?
“So we can be as poor as the rest of the world?”
Funny thing. The U.S. ranks 4th in GDP, yet it is 92nd in distribution of wealth. In other words the top 5% live the best of all nations, and the bottom 25% live worse than in countries such as Greece. So guess what? We already are.
@TaxMaiden: “until you can strap a windmill to my Subaru and make it go”
There you go.
“It appears that only American companies are not being allowed to drill.”
* snort *
@Jeff: “The U.S. consumes a quarter of the world's oil, but we produce almost 27% of the world's GDP.”
Man, I’d hate to be behind you at a buffet. (Oh, and it’s closer to 23%)
meanwhile, mysterious power "events" are shutting down an appreciable fraction of the US refinery capacity.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jeX7A4-6xJhWqidyUC8zKm7AD-Gg?docId=84bc916a0999400695b4ebdd6bd6c7f7
"it is being considered for inclusion on the federal Endangered Species listing by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service"
ReplyDeleteAt least there's one Hollywood liberal who thinks dune lizards are good eating.
If you need a chuckle, please click through to the wind powered car that Cynic linked. *snort* It's a kite on an oversized Fisher-Price Barbie car.
ReplyDeleteDidn't BP get an award for safety just before the Gulf fiasco?
ReplyDeleteBe careful about putting the government in charge of anything....