Comment & Debate
“An Outdated Ban”. Washington Post. 28 June 2006 – “The United Statesis suffering a major energy crisis right now, and we should be drilling in as many places as we can manage. Offshore drilling may be a short-term solution to a long-term energy problem, but if countries like China can already drill and drain our nearby coastal regions of oil and gas deposits, there’s no reason why we shouldn’t save ourselves a few bucks at the gas pump until alternative energy sources are further developed.”
Rep. James T. Walsh (R-N.Y.), a longtime backer of the drilling ban, said recently. – “For years I have argued that we should avoid offshore drilling and tapping into underground reserves in ANWR until there was an emergency that left us with no choice. That time has come.”[1]