Earth Equity News

Drill He or Won't He? By Kate Sheppard, Grist, August 5, 2008. "Many in the environmental community are annoyed by Barack Obama's change of position on offshore drilling, even while they applaud his comprehensive energy plan... [He] had staunchly opposed new [offshore] drilling... [but then said he'd be] open to some... if it were necessary to reach compromise on a broader energy plan -- like the one introduced by a bipartisan 'Gang of 10' late last week. That plan, which Obama indicated he could support, calls for limited offshore drilling as well as increased investment in clean energy, with the overarching aim of reducing America's oil dependence. Friends of the Earth President Brent Blackwelder was quick to criticize [the] switch... [as well as] the 'Gang of 10' legislation [because of its inclusion of] liquefied coal and nuclear power. Adam Kolton... [of] the National Wildlife Federation, says there's been more than enough compromising on drilling already... League of Conservation Voters President Gene Karpinski knocked the compromise mindset too... But [still]... enviros had lots of nice things to say about Obama's own comprehensive energy plan, which he detailed during a speech in Lansing... [yesterday]. Largely the same as [his earlier] energy plan... it would, among other things, create 5 million new green jobs, invest $150 billion in clean energy and job training, require more electricity to come from renewable sources, promote plug-in hybrids and other fuel-efficient cars, and give Americans an 'emergency energy rebate' paid for by a windfall-profits tax on oil companies... 'The short-term problem is that Americans are really hurting on gas prices,' said David Willett... [of] the Sierra Club. 'It would just be really foolish of us to be completely ignorant of that fact. [Releasing oil from the reserve] would hopefully take some of the pressure off the folks who are feeling pressure, who don't want to be for drilling but they're not sure that they have a choice at this point because of public demand.' A report released Monday by the Center for American Progress Action Fund found that in the 100 days after previous releases from the [Reserve], the average family saved a significant amount of money on gasoline... John McCain and many other Republicans oppose a release from the [Reserve]... Weiss pointed out that Republicans didn't oppose such a move on previous occasions, when advocated by the two presidents Bush. And even if the government sold 70 million gallons out of the SPR today, the reserve would still be 90% full, said Weiss. 'It's not posing any risk to our security at all to sell a small amount of oil.'"