Obama green lights offshore drilling?

For offshore drilling?

President Obama's policies on offshore drilling have, it has to be said, confusing. One minute he is saying no more drilling off US shores and being lauded as an environmental hero, the next he's saying that American dependence on foreign oil must end - so which is it?

It appears we now have a final answer with news that the president is set to announce plans to open huge offshore areas on the US coastline to oil and natural gas drilling.

The move will end a long-standing ban on such drilling along the Atlantic coast, in the eastern Gulf of Mexico and off the north coast of Alaska. 

"A hostage to dwindling resources"

Previously Interior Secretary Ken Salazar had stated that the Obama administration did not share the same views on drilling as the Bush administration, and this seemed to be confirmed with news that the president would discard the 2010-2015 lease plan developed by the Bush administration in 2008, after then-President Bush had lifted an executive ban on Outer Continental Shelf leasing in 2008.

However with Republican sabre-rattling, that has only intensified after the health care reform was successfully passed and more and more Americans supporting the expansion of oil and gas drilling in Federal waters, it appears that President Obama has made up his mind.

Obama's decision clearly stems from wanting to reduce US dependence on foreign oil and generating revenue from the sale of offshore leases. Even in the early months of his presidency, President Obama said that US reliance on foreign oil was a threat to national security saying America was being held "hostage to dwindling resources, hostile regimes, and a warming planet".

As such he promoted greater fuel efficiency and an "energy economy" aimed at creating millions of jobs. Many environmentalists considered this a positive step, but this new move will threaten alienating many who have supported the president.

However, not doing anything could alienate him even more. With anger in certain states over health-care reform and the cost of financing it, offshore drilling could create thousands of jobs in areas like Louisiana. Then there is the money that could be saved instead of being spent on foreign oil.

Eitherway, Obama will come under fire no matter what.

Relevant articles:

US hydro-power gets a boost | Surrendering the Gulf of Mexico to Russia | Traces of Exxon Valdez spill can still b...

Timon Singh

Timon Singh is a graduate of Liverpool University where he received a degree in Social and Economic History. He has previously worked for BBC Magazines on BBC Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine, the publication for the popular genealogy show.

Like this article? Get the RSS feed: