Green Options » gang of 10

Oil Industry Complains about Gang-of-20 Compromise

Dana Nuccitelli — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 00:14:23 +0000

The former Gang-of-10 compromise, which has since expanded to 16 and then 20 US Senators, proposes to swap limited offshore drilling for an increase in renewable energy support.

The Gang-of-20 bill severely limits offshore drilling to a handful of Southeastern states that must opt in to allow increased drilling, and moves the drilling boundary to 100 miles offshore (from its current 200 miles) “with states given the option to set it at 50 miles.”

Some oil industry representatives question the effect of the proposals, citing federal studies that show that more than 80% of known oil reserves are inside the 50-mile limit and therefore unavailable. Very little is known about oil reserves beyond 100 miles. Waters off almost the entire Pacific coast — where all three governors oppose drilling at the 50-mile barrier — is considered too deep for drilling 100 miles offshore.

Sheldon Whitehouse Calls Out GOP Senators on Offshore Drilling

Taylor Shelton — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 19:13:41 +0000

This week is going to be big for American energy policy. By week’s end, it is likely that we will see the US Congress vote on any number of energy bills, including one put forth by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), as well as the New Energy Reform Act of 2008, which has been endorsed by the so-called “Gang of 10″ Senators, who have since swelled in number to 16, and now 20 members. If you’re even remotely like me, you’re surely growing tired of the battle between the Democratic leadership in the House and Senate and the GOP minority that demands new offshore drilling. Unfortunately for all of us, few congressional Democrats have had the gall to stand up and say what’s been on all of our minds - offshore drilling isn’t the answer. That was, until last Friday’s Bipartisan Energy Summit, when Rhode Island Senator Sheldon Whitehouse seemingly decided that he’d had enough.