Democrats Still Don't Want Drilling

As Rep. John Shadegg (R-AZ) notes in the WSJ this morning, the House Democrat drilling bill is a sham. They still have no interest in increasing drilling. Even if the bill were to pass, bogus environmental lawsuits would prevent any additional drilling. Unfortunately, there are no limits whatsoever against such litigation.

In February 2008, the administration issued 487 leases in Alaska's Chukchi Sea, which holds an estimated 15 billion barrels of oil and 76 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. The Sierra Club, the Center for Biological Diversity, and other groups used the National Environmental Policy Act and the Endangered Species Act to challenge and delay progress on all 487 leases. In a separate lawsuit, they challenged the entire national outer continental shelf (OCS) leasing program, seeking to block all future leases.

Even if a lease makes it through these challenges, it isn't clear sailing. Right now, there are 748 leases in the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas. Exploration activities in every single one were challenged in May of this year by EarthJustice in conjunction with others.

The Alaskan OCS contains 26 billion barrels of oil and 132 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. Not one offshore lease has escaped litigation.

It's no wonder that Pelosi doesn't care even if a watered-down drilling bill were to pass.