Bill Clinton vetoed ANWR drilling in 1996 saying that it would not produce any oil for ten years ! Guess what ? That was 12 years ago. The political left has the usual weak response to this argument. This Wikipedia entry has the usual environmentalist slant that mars its otherwise useful role, but it contains this summary:
In 1987, Canada and the U.S. signed the Agreement on the Conservation of the Porcupine Caribou Herd treaty which was designed to protect the herd and its habitat from damage or disruptions in migration routes. Canada’s Ivvavik National Park and Vuntut National Park borders the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Energy Bill authorized drilling in ANWR, but a filibuster by Senate Democrats kept the measure from coming to a vote. In 1995, Republicans prepared to take up the battle again and included a provision for ANWR in the federal budget. President Bill Clinton vetoed the entire budget and expressed his intention to veto any other bill that would open ANWR to drilling.
I’d say that establishes the responsibility pretty well. Why is this important ? Aside from $4.59 gasoline, I mean ?
Well, Brazil has discovered a massive oil field in deep water off its coast. It has leased all the deep water drill rigs in the world for the next five to seven years.
There are no more drilling ships to be had, and it will take years to build them. Now, it doesn’t take deep water rigs to drill in ANWR. Nor are they necessary for the tar sands and oil shale of the Rocky Mountains which contain massive reserves.
But it is time to drill. Although it is very late.
The politics will be very interesting to watch. Democrats are opposed to any carbon use so they oppose any drilling. Bill Clinton created a national monument to prevent coal development but, as is usual with Bill, nobody knows if this was simple corruption or more Democrat anti-carbon politics.
Tags: ANWR, drilling, energy, offshore oil