On March 31, three weeks before the BP Deepwater Horizon
disaster, President Barack Obama announced plans to open offshore oil
drilling along the east coast of the United
States from Virginia to Florida and the eastern Gulf of Mexico, ending a
decades-long moratorium.
He further announced research to assess the
feasibility of offshore drilling in the Beaufort and Chukchi seas off
the north coast of Alaska.
Explaining the 2010 decision was “intended to reduce dependence on oil imports, generate revenue from the sale of offshore leases and help win political support for comprehensive energy and climate legislation,” the New York Times wrote: “the sheer breadth of the offshore drilling decision will take some of [the president’s] supporters aback...
Explaining the 2010 decision was “intended to reduce dependence on oil imports, generate revenue from the sale of offshore leases and help win political support for comprehensive energy and climate legislation,” the New York Times wrote: “the sheer breadth of the offshore drilling decision will take some of [the president’s] supporters aback...
Even as Mr.
Obama curries favors with pro-drilling interests, he risks a backlash
from some coastal governors, senators and environmental advocates, who
say that the relatively small amounts of oil to be gained in the
offshore areas are not worth the environmental risks.”
