Has anyone heard where the candidates for governor stand on this issue? What about y'all? Is 50 miles offshore not far enough away to start looking, it isnt to me.
I don't care if they set a rig up right on the beach....if it lowers the price of gas and helps us cut ties to the arab oil, I'm all for it.
Based on what I heard this yesterday we have 3% of the world reserves of oil but use 25% of the worlds oil. I really don't see this impacting the price of gas much, at least not in the direction you want. Besides the earliest off-shore drilling could turn to plastic in your child's toys or fuel in your gas tank would be 5 to 10 years from now.
By most conservative efforts, we have enough oil here in the US to last us at least 60 years at our current rate of consumption. That is MORE than enough time to get us switched over to viable alternative energy. We need to start drilling RIGHT NOW while working to develop alternatives to petroleum power. We also need to build more refineries to process the oil.
Drill off the coast, in Alaska, in North Dakota and conserve at the same time. With the price of oil being driven by speculators more than anything right now, just the statement that we are going to drill, will probably make the cost of oil drop. Just like the stock market dropping (or rising) based on some wacked out news about anything. As far as the sight of an oil rig off the NC coast, i just don't see the problem. We have vacationed at Gulf Shores Alabama. We sat on the deck and watched the dolphins swim in the foreground, the shrimp boats out behind them, and the oil rigs behind them. I thought they were cool looking. Increase our own supplies and reduce use all at the same time.
NO to drilling offshore! The oceans and estuaries are far too important to allow even one minor "mishap" over fuel. No one has a right to cheap fuel. If the market demand for alternative fuel presents itself on a scale that encourages development, it will happen. If, and only if, we are serious about developing alternative fuels and sources.
But we need relief NOW. The majority of Americans cannot afford this much longer. It's become TOO rediculous. Minor mishaps are going to happen no matter what. I love the enviroment and the ocean and the life in it just as much as anyone else but sometimes sacrifices have to be made in order to survive. We cannot continue on in THIS fashion either. I believe that we need to look for alternative fuel, but when push comes to shove we have to do what we need to do UNTIL we can get to alternative fuel. That means more exhaust and smog which is not good for the enviroment either. Well PUSH has COME to shove. People are leaving the country areas to move closer to the city which is making for MORE congestion and traffic problems. I've seen more houses up for rent or sale out in the country areas than I've ever seen before. And all these subdivisions going up are knocking out the enviroment but no one is on the bandwagon about that. All those woods they are tearing up WERE homes for alot of deer. Now we have more "road kill" out there too. In order to protect the eonviroment, we have to sacrifice some of it as well. I know that sounds bad but it's true. They are also drilling in other parts of the world. Well these other places have "enviroments" as we do. So how is ours any better than theirs that we shouldn't try to help ourselves?
When high fuel prices impact a man's ability to make a decent living and feed his family he really doesn't care about the environment. If you ask 95% of Americans, I can guarantee that given the choice between feeding their family and the small risk of harm to the environment from offshore drilling, they will choose drilling. You are correct that we don't have a right to cheap fuel, but we do have a right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness and that includes being able to make a decent living to provide for your family.
If you want relief NOW then drilling definitely is not the solution. Most figure it will not add to the oil supply for at least 7 years.
My biggest hope is that the issue will be addressed as a serious issue instead of a "conservative" or "liberal" issue. This country needs a viable energy plan and we need to get to work on 30 years ago. If we need include drilling offshore, let's do it. If we need nuclear power plants, let's do it. If we need to develop solar, air or other alternatives, let's get with it. If it's going to take 10 years to do it, then let's get started with it. Reminds me of when people say, "I can't go back to college now, in 5 years I'll be 50". If five years you're still going to be 50 if you're 45 now, just your choice on whether you have a degree or not. It it takes 10, 20, or 50 years to develop these things, then let's do it, because in 10, 20, or 50 years we're still going to need energy.
It bloggles my mind that people would not want to use our own resources to become independent from foreign oil. Why would we not do this? If the US came out and made a statement that we are going to start drilling and plan on being independent from foreign countries within so many years, oil prices would drop immediately. I love the enviroment as much as anyone else, but we can't let these environmentalist wackos keep us from using our own resources!
Its not that one "doesn't" care. but there comes a point where you financially can't afford to care anymore. I choose drilling, I'll look at that rig off the coast if it means fuel costs can start a downward swing. Has anyone followed any of the wind farm hubbub... the people on Cape Cod, MA have been up in arms over this for a few years now. There is going to be a wind farm with hundreds of windmills off the coast of Cape Cod, and you will be able to see them if you look towards Nantucket. People in the gulf area have always had oil rigs as part of their scenery, we've just been lucky to avoid it this long.
Oh I agree and that's why we need to start now. Alternative fuels are going to take even longer. If not, they'd be here by now. People have been trying to develop them for alot longer than 7 years.
Correct, and as I said above, as so much of the high oil price is speculators, then the prospect of more oil on the market whether today, or in 7 years will bring the cost of oil down now. I have seen more wildlife in the Gulf Shores area of Alabama as I have ever seen in NC. More Dolphins/ Sea Turtles etc. Sand there is pure white, not as commercial. And they have had oil rigs for years. Now the wildlife being more may have to due more with the Gulf of Mex and less commercialism, but the oil rigs have not hurt them.
