Energy Policy
Bush Administration Pushes Through New Oil Shale Rules
By Jonathan Weber, 11-23-08
The Bush Administration, as part of its effort to lock in policies via administrative rules before leaving office, has put takens steps to open 800 million acres of land in the West to oil shale exploration. The move comes just a few weeks after a moratorium on shale oil leases expired. The independent investigative news site Pro Publica has an in-depth look at an issue that is likely to provoke much controversy in Colorado, Wyoming and Utah for many years to come.While oil shale has a lot of promise, as detailed by Hal Herring here at NewWest.Net a few months back, it also has potentially immense environmental consequences, and it's not clear it can be extracted in a way that ultimately yields more energy than it consumes. [End of article]
It is amazing to know that we have a president that constantly sticks to his guns. This is not a good thing mind you, it actually frightens me how just last year in April he stated his administration stated that they were focusing more effort into environmental issues. Now I know I couldn't count on Bush policy promises, however with this news and they need to drill off the coast, its all concerning me. I just do not understand how someone can just completely ignore the environmental damage that drilling does. Its our lands it should the future of the worlds environment should not be left to politicians and petrol companies. Its up to the citizens to take a stand and write to officials to stop this before it gets worse.
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