Mr. Shaman
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Nov 27, 2007
- Messages
- 7,829
"The government isn't doing enough to expedite drilling in federal waters and on public lands, according to a report issued yesterday by congressional investigators.
In a review of the 55,000 federal oil and gas leases issued to energy companies by the Interior Department from 1987 to 1996, the Government Accountability Office found that the majority expired without any drilling and that few actually produced oil and natural gas.
Energy companies hold leases, but are not producing on, about 68 million federal acres -- property with the potential to double domestic oil production. About a third of the oil produced in the United States last year came from public lands.
As an alternative to opening more federal property to drilling, House Democrats and Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) have said companies should "use it or lose it": drill on lands they rent, or lose the right to obtain new leases."
Can you imagine The Idiot Son making such demands?