House GOP to push Obama on defacto moratorium in Gulf

Senator David Vitter testifying regarding S.33...Image via Wikipedia
The Hill:

Key House Republicans plan to argue next month that the Obama administration should act swiftly to issue offshore oil-and-gas drilling permits amid the political unrest in Libya and other countries.

The House Natural Resources Committee said Wednesday it is holding two hearings in March on what Republicans have termed the administration’s “de facto moratorium” on deepwater oil-and-gas drilling in the Gulf of Mexico.

The administration has issued no deepwater permits since the last year's BP spill, and has slowed the pace for shallow-water projects. The Interior Department, which is in charge of issuing permits, has said it will begin issuing deepwater permits once drillers are able to prove they're complying with a series of new safety regulations.

But Republicans and some drill-state Democrats have slammed the administration for not yet issuing deepwater permits, and for slowing the pace of shallow-water permitting. Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) has even put a hold on a key Interior Department nominee over his drilling concerns.

The political unrest in North Africa and the Middle East has only heightened Republicans’ concerns. While Egypt is not a major oil producer, Libya, which is now facing major political strife, is the world’s 17th largest oil producer.

...
This may be the first administration that is so sympathetic to high oil prices. It would actually like to see them go higher. The House should make them pay a political price for their attempt to strangle domestic production.
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