Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Oil Drilling News


GULF OIL DISASTER AFTERMATH


Sierra Club Can't Join U.S. to Sue BP Over Spill, Judge Says

"The court is overseeing more than 350 lawsuits against BP and other companies involved in the worst offshore oil spill in U.S. history."

Clean-up will wait to protect wildlife (Alabama)

"Thursday, the Coast Guard defended its decision to leave what has been described as "hundreds of thousands of pounds of oil" in the water and on the beach on the western part of Dauphin Island. 

Pictures taken June 21 show oily tar balls littered across the beach on the far west end of Dauphin Island."


OIL/ENERGY POLICY


Obama: Slash oil industry tax breaks as part of debt deal

"If we choose to keep those tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires, if we choose to keep a tax break for corporate jet owners, if we choose to keep tax breaks for oil and gas companies that are making hundreds of billions of dollars, then that means we've got to cut some kids off from getting a college scholarship, that means we've got to stop funding certain grants for medical research, that means that food safety may be compromised, that means that Medicare has to bear a greater part of the burden."

BOEMRE Director Delivers Remarks at World National Oil Companies Congress
"The tragic loss of life and the enormous, immediate, and visible damage to the environment from the Deepwater Horizon tragedy were a wake-up call for industry and government alike, sending a clear message that we had to take a good, hard look at existing safety technologies, practices, and regulations and make immediate, and lasting, improvements." [...] "Let me describe for you some of the key elements that my vision of the future of offshore energy oversight and development includes..." [...] "And finally, an ocean energy program that includes not only the development of oil and gas resources, but also the aggressive and responsible development of renewable energy sources. The long-term solution to meeting the nation's and the world's energy needs must include power derived from clean and renewable sources such as offshore wind."
 
ALTERNATIVES TO OIL


What will replace oil?


Annual State of the Coast looks at alternative energy sources

"...the 2011 Federation State of the Coast Report focuses on various types of renewable energy sources. 

The annual report was unveiled during the Federation's daylong Coastal Power: Riding the Wave of Green Energy summit."


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Monday, June 27, 2011

Oil Drilling News


HANDS ACROSS THE SAND


Hundreds join hands to save the sands (SE Florida)


Palm Beach county residents show their opposition to offshore oil drilling (SE Florida)


Hundreds unite on Fort Myers Beach to support our shores (SW Florida)


Opponents of coastal oil drilling join hands in solidarity (Tampa, Florida)

Drilling foes join hands (Tampa)


Protesters join hands against oil drilling in Gulf (Pensacola, Florida)


Hands Across the Sand Events Across the US Today


Thousands join hands in oil protest (Florida/Nationwide)


Advocates speak up for the Sonoma coast (N California)

Hands, sand and oil (N California)


Demonstrators link hands in protest against offshore drilling (Central CA)


Offshore oil drilling protest in Pacific Beach (S California)


Hands Across the Sand drew a line today in favor of protecting our oceans (New Jersey)

Protesters in Va. Beach push for wind energy (Virginia)


ALTERNATIVES TO OIL


White House proposes increased mileage standards for cars, light trucks


Across Europe, Irking Drivers Is Urban Policy


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Friday, June 24, 2011

Oil Drilling News

ARCTIC DRILLING - NOT READY FOR PRIME TIME

Agency issues report on Arctic offshore drilling science 'gaps'; spill, climate data lacking
"Scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey say key information is lacking for effective oil spill risk preparedness, including weather and oceanographic data that could be fed into spill models."

HANDS ACROSS THE SAND - TOMORROW!


Beachgoers to join hands for clean energy Saturday (California)


Hands Across the Sand is Coming! (Florida)


Residents will join hands and raise awareness for clean energy at Calf Pasture Beach this weekend (Connecticut)


Biloxi beach event to call for citizen group to monitor oil and gas activities in Gulf of Mexico (Mississippi)


Anti-drilling demonstration set for Pavilion Beach (Massachusetts)

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Thursday, June 23, 2011

Oil Drilling News


OIL/ENERGY POLICY


Congressmen want to exempt Oregon Coast from expansion of offshore oil drilling


House votes to ease rules for offshore drilling

"The measure was approved Wednesday by 253-166 vote. It would give the Environmental Protection Agency six months to decide on air pollution permits for offshore rigs or platforms exploring for oil. It also limits challenges to the EPA's appeals board and restricts which emissions can be evaluated."

Obama's offshore drilling regulator says new safety rules are on the way


HANDS ACROSS THE SAND


Protests against offshore drilling set for Rye, York beaches (New Hampshire, Maine)


Join Hands Across the Sand this Saturday (Connecticut)


Southwest Florida residents to gather to protest drilling (Florida)


Willows Beach hosts solidarity day for world oceans (British Columbia)

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Wednesday, June 22, 2011

OIl Drilling News


GULF OIL DISASTER

Transocean report pins oil spill blame on BP
The blame game continues.

THE ARCTIC


Lawmakers set to allow speedier Arctic drilling

"The House is set to streamline regulations around Arctic drilling this week that would speed the development of oil and gas reserves off the Alaskan coast over the objections of environmentalists."

H.R. 2021, Jobs and Energy Permitting Act - Statement of Administration Policy
"...the Administration opposes H.R. 2021, because it would curtail the authority of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Clean Air Act (CAA) to help ensure that domestic oil production on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) proceeds safely, responsibly, and with opportunities for efficient stakeholder input. [...] 
H.R. 2021 would limit existing EPA authority to protect human health and the environment. [...] 
H.R. 2021 would increase Federal court litigation and deprive citizens of an important avenue for challenging government action that affects local public health."

HANDS ACROSS THE SAND


Hands Across The Sand On Area Beaches June 25 (Florida)


Join the Largest Unified Stand Against Offshore Drilling! (Florida)


Offshore oil drilling opponents taking part in event on Saturday (South Carolina)




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Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Oil Drilling News


GULF OIL SPILL

Deepwater Horizon's Top Manager Won't Testify in Macondo Well Spill Cases

ARCTIC DRILLING


Arctic oil spill would challenge US Coast Guard

"A major offshore Arctic oil spill could severely challenge the U.S. Coast Guard, with no available infrastructure to base rescue and clean-up operations, the Coast Guard commandant said on Monday."

HANDS ACROSS THE SAND


Join the Largest Unified Stand Against Offshore Drilling (Florida)


Activists link hands to save shores from offshore drills (Tennessee)


LTE: Take a stand against offshore oil, gas drilling (Massachusetts)


LTE: 'No' to offshore drilling (Maine)


Drill and Spill: 

NC General Assembly ratifies bill on possible offshore drilling (North Carolina)


Op-Ed: Hands across the sand – to save the planet (London)


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Monday, June 20, 2011

Oil Drilling News


OIL/ENERGY POLICY


Raise Gas Tax To Prepare For 'Peak Oil'

"We have reached the pinnacle of the "peak oil" conundrum: It's too expensive to drive, yet most Americans have no choice. And it's just going to get worse. 

The solution may be counterintuitive: an increase in national and state gas taxes. A larger tax on gasoline would raise the much-needed revenue to maintain and upgrade our nation's transportation infrastructure, wean the population off our addiction to sending money for oil to dictators overseas, and create jobs on U.S. soil building and operating a lower-carbon mobility system that will enable our country to prosper in the 21st century."


CALIFORNIA


The Oil That Lies Offshore California

"It is difficult, at this time, to predict the future for this region – environmental pressure is great in restricting further development within the coastal areas under State control, and there are a number of known fields that lie within that limit. Beyond it lies the OCS where the pressure of rising prices might help encourage further drilling; sadly, emotion may have greater impact there than reality."

HANDS ACROSS THE SAND, June 25

- There are 221 total events organized.

- There are at least 179 events organized in the U.S., including outside the White House.

- There are events organized in 157 different U.S. cities.

- There are events organized in 38 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.

- There are 42 events organized outside the U.S.

-There are events organized in 17 countries outside the U.S.

- There are events organized in 42 cities outside the U.S.

- The following countries are participating: 

Australia, Bangladesh, Belize, Canada, Colombia, United Kingdom, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Montenegro, Mexico, Norway, New Zealand, Peru, Portugal, and South Africa


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Thursday, June 16, 2011

Oil Drilling News


DID THE GULF OIL SPILL REALLY HAPPEN?


Congress living in denial in wake of oil spill, nuclear disasters

"Fourteen months have passed since the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded 49 miles off the coast of Louisiana, gushing 4.9 million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. Fourteen months, an estimated $6 billion of damage, and zero laws passed to prevent it from happening all over again. 

You might think Congress would want to alter the law that only required BP to pay $75 million of the damage. BP volunteered to pay up to $20 billion, so why not make it official? 

You might think Congress would want to adopt most of the recommendations released in January by the President's National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling before even considering new drilling operations. Instead, the House has introduced three bills to expand drilling immediately, incorporating very few of the commission's recommendations."


WAS THE CURE WORSE THAN THE DISEASE?


Corexit Makes Oil Spills Worse, Not Better, Scientists Find

"...preliminary findings of two new studies show that the nearly two million gallons of toxic dispersants applied to the more than 200 million gallons of oil that gushed from its exploded rig may have been more damaging to the ecosystem as a whole than the oil alone."

DO YOU FEEL SAFER NOW?


MWCC increases containment capping stack depth to 10,000 ft

Note that this containment system is not available now but is "on track for delivery in 2012."

OIL AND ENERGY TRENDS


Peak Oil – The Long & The Short


ALTERNATIVES TO OIL


The U.S. Military Leads the Charge on Renewables, Efficiency and Energy Security

"Both the Department of Defense as a whole and each of the military branches have taken strong leadership in setting ambitious goals for energy independence and in deploying innovative energy technology to meet those targets. Major steps have been taken across the department to develop and implement new energy solutions using renewable fuels, renewable electricity, energy efficiency, energy storage, and smart and secure microgrids for electricity. "

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