The Obama administration announced this week that it plans to open an area from Virginia to Georgia for offshore drilling, pursuant to a policy change requested by energy firms, but against the wishes of environmentalists who are concerned about Myrtle Beach and other resorts in the area.
The new initiative actually makes it two times that U.S. President Barack Obama recommended opening parts of the Atlantic region for oil drilling, and if the plan pushes forward, it will commence from 2017 through 2022.
However, Obama has been scored by those who believe the benefits would not justify the chances of an oil spill in the Virginia/Georgia areas where drilling will take place. This is considering the fact that drilling will not begin for “several more” years after leases are auctioned off, a process that may take about six years.
Obama’s cabinet members have defended the plan as a “balanced approach to oil and gas development,” but that hasn’t impressed environmentalists who feel that the Obama administration has been remiss in its duties to avoid the chances of oil spills and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
“Opening these areas to dirty fuel development is incompatible with a healthy future for America’s coastlines, coastal communities, or our climate,” remarked one of those critics, Sierra Club’s Athan Manuel. “As the administration finalizes this plan, we hope they will shift the focus away from the dirty fuels of the past.”
But going back to the earlier point, the proposal is just that – a proposal – according to Interior Secretary Sally Jewell, the plans are actually baby steps in leasing federal waters. She was also quoted as saying that people’s comments, including those from environmentalists, will be taken into consideration and could result in changes to the plans.