The bill would open up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) as well as the Atlantic and Pacific regions of the Outer Continental Shelf for exploration and production; and lift the one-year moratorium on developing oil shale in Colorado, Wyoming and Utah.

Specific provisions of the bill include:

Outer Continental Shelf. The bill allows petitions for leasing activities in the Atlantic and Pacific regions of the Outer Continental Shelf. The bill allows the Governors of coastal states to submit a petition for a lifting of the moratorium within their state boundaries. The bill creates a revenue sharing agreement for participating states in which 37.5% of revenues will go to new producing states, 12.5% to the Land and Water Conservation Fund, and 50% to the Federal Treasury.

ANWR. The bill establishes a competitive oil and gas leasing program for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Coastal Plain under the Mineral Leasing Act. It provides for a 50/50 share of ANWR revenues between the Federal Government and the State of Alaska. Directs that $35 million of the State share be deposited annually into a “Coastal Plain Local Government Impact Aid Assistance Fund” for Alaska communities.

Peritting. Repeals the $4,000 fee for new applications for permits to drill that was established in last year’s Omnibus Appropriations Bill.

Refineries. Grants the EPA authority to accept consolidated applications for permits required to construct and operate refineries, and authorizes financial assistance to states and Indian tribes for the hiring of personnel to process permits. Establishes a 360-day deadline for the approval or disapproval of consolidated permit applications for new refineries and a 120-day deadline for applications to expand existing refineries.

Co-sponsors of S.2958 include Senators Allard (R-CO); Barrasso (R-WY); Bennett (R-UT); Bond (R-MO); Bunning (R-KY); Chambliss (R-GA); Cornyn (R-TX); Enzi (R-WY); Hutchinson (R-TX); Inhofe (R-OK); Isakson (R-GA); McConnell (R-KY); Murkowski (R-AK); Sessions (R-AL); Stevens (R-AK); Thune (R-SD); Voinovich (R-OH); and Wicker (R-MS).


http://www.greencarcongress.com/2008/05/...ntrod.html

I see there are no Democratic co-sponsors. Maybe it's time for'em to stop talking and start doing?


{Credited to Chris at CC for finding this}

This is smart. It's great politics, but I just wish they would tie alternatives into the bill. WE NEED TO GET OFF of OIL. Let's find another way to fuel our cars and give the Middle East the finger. Sit and Spin Ahkmed! Their entire economy is hinged on the price of oil. If we develope alternatives they go back to herding camel.


They will RUE the day they decreased the supply and FORCED us into alternatives. We SHALL be free from the tyrants and overlords of oil. We won't be held hostage to the black death that poisons our water and warms our climates. Americans UNITE!

Machiavelli Wrote:This is smart. It's great politics, but I just wish they would tie alternatives into the bill. WE NEED TO GET OFF of OIL. Let's find another way to fuel our cars and give the Middle East the finger. Sit and Spin Ahkmed! Their entire economy is hinged on the price of oil. If we develope alternatives they go back to herding camel.


They will RUE the day they decreased the supply and FORCED us into alternatives. We SHALL be free from the tyrants and overlords of oil. We won't be held hostage to the black death that poisons our water and warms our climates. Americans UNITE!

You didn't read the link, did you?

Quote:Renewable Fuel and Advanced Energy Technology. Amends the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to strike the definition of renewable biomass and replace it with the Senate-passed definition.


Establishes a program of direct loans and grants to accelerate the production of advanced batteries in the United States.


Establishes a research program to determine infrastructure needs for the transport of renewable fuel blends, and directs the Secretary of Energy to consider the compatibility of existing infrastructure with intermediate blends of renewable and petroleum based fuels.


Studies the environmental and efficiency attributes of diesel-fueled vehicles.


Coal-Derived Fuels. Mandates that 6 billion gallons of coal-derived fuels be produced by 2022, starting at 750 million gallons in 2015 and ramping up by that same amount annually. Requires that CTL fuels produced result in lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions not greater than those associated with gasoline and provides waiver authority based on economic or environmental harm.


Oil shale. Repeals the one year moratorium on funds to complete final regulations for the commercial leasing of oil shale established in last year’s Omnibus.


Increases the current allowable contract duration of five years to 25 years for procurement of synthetic fuels by the Department of Defense.


Repeals Section 526 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, which prohibits federal agencies from procuring alternative fuels with lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions greater than those associated with conventional fuels that they replace.

From the WSJ http://online.wsj.com/article/SB12097701...d_outlooks

This tiff over gas and oil taxes only highlights the intellectual policy confusion – or perhaps we should say cynicism – of our politicians. They want lower prices but don't want more production to increase supply. They want oil "independence" but they've declared off limits most of the big sources of domestic oil that could replace foreign imports. They want Americans to use less oil to reduce greenhouse gases but they protest higher oil prices that reduce demand. They want more oil company investment but they want to confiscate the profits from that investment. And these folks want to be President?"

This bill is total hogwash....These theives that are posing as "our saviors" have NOT done a GD thing in the entire time they have been in power to eliminate our dependency on fossil fuels and are NOW all of a sudden going to attempt to do something. They should all be exposed as the political opportunists that they are.

Does anyone need any more evidence of the total lack of leadership that exists in Washington than this shabby attempt by these fools to cover their asses and make themselves look as if they give a damn?

Anyone that cant see through this sad smokescreen of political BS is either not thinking or has been totally brainwashed by statist propaganda.

Fo Shizzle Wrote:This bill is total hogwash....These theives that are posing as "our saviors" have NOT done a GD thing in the entire time they have been in power to eliminate our dependency on fossil fuels and are NOW all of a sudden going to attempt to do something. They should all be exposed as the political opportunists that they are.

....and you, as the biggest anti-government guy on the board, thinks it's the government's job to get the private sector off fossil fuels?

Hypocrite much?

Quote:Does anyone need any more evidence of the total lack of leadership that exists in Washington than this shabby attempt by these fools to cover their asses and make themselves look as if they give a damn?

Anyone that cant see through this sad smokescreen of political BS is either not thinking or has been totally brainwashed by statist propaganda.

Fo, I like a lot of your points, but you're pretty much, solution-empty. Yeah, you're good at bitching about this and that, but you offer nothing that could potentially rectify any situation in our lifetime.

RebelKev Wrote:

Fo Shizzle Wrote:This bill is total hogwash....These theives that are posing as "our saviors" have NOT done a GD thing in the entire time they have been in power to eliminate our dependency on fossil fuels and are NOW all of a sudden going to attempt to do something. They should all be exposed as the political opportunists that they are.

....and you, as the biggest anti-government guy on the board, thinks it's the government's job to get the private sector off fossil fuels?

Hypocrite much?

Quote:Does anyone need any more evidence of the total lack of leadership that exists in Washington than this shabby attempt by these fools to cover their asses and make themselves look as if they give a damn?

Anyone that cant see through this sad smokescreen of political BS is either not thinking or has been totally brainwashed by statist propaganda.

Fo, I like a lot of your points, but you're pretty much, solution-empty. Yeah, you're good at bitching about this and that, but you offer nothing that could potentially rectify any situation in our lifetime.

Sorry Kev...That dog wont hunt.
You really think that this foolishness is a solution?

I advocate the freemarket solving ALL our problems...and it would if these jackasses were NOT in power....Im just simply pointed out that these fools are trying to dupe the citenzry into thinking that they CAN solve these problems...They have failed and will continue to fail....but...I am fully aware that most Americans think they are they are the greatest men alive..fully unaware that they are parasites and theives....Im awake...I see their pure evil.

What sort of production do they estimate from the coasts?

ANWR presented as a piece of the solution is ridiculous, given it won't be online for 10 years and at a peak of 800-900K barrels a day isn't going to do much of anything to relieve our dependence on foreign oil or affect prices.

At Ease Wrote:What sort of production do they estimate from the coasts?

ANWR presented as a piece of the solution is ridiculous, given it won't be online for 10 years and at a peak of 800-900K barrels a day isn't going to do much of anything to relieve our dependence on foreign oil or affect prices.

There are a lot more proposals than ANWR. Did you read the link?

Oh, and 800K-900K barrels a day is 800-900K barrels a day more than we have now.

Yes, I read the link. Why do you presume I asked what the production estimates for the outer continental shelf were?

Lord Stanley Wrote:From the WSJ http://online.wsj.com/article/SB12097701...d_outlooks

This tiff over gas and oil taxes only highlights the intellectual policy confusion – or perhaps we should say cynicism – of our politicians. They want lower prices but don't want more production to increase supply. They want oil "independence" but they've declared off limits most of the big sources of domestic oil that could replace foreign imports. They want Americans to use less oil to reduce greenhouse gases but they protest higher oil prices that reduce demand. They want more oil company investment but they want to confiscate the profits from that investment. And these folks want to be President?"

Good Summary, though I think much of this bill (at least as it starts out) is a step in the right direction. They'll surely screw it up, or fail to enact it.

Reduced involvement... even if it means increased legislation to accomplish it is a good thing.

Machiavelli Wrote:This is smart. It's great politics, but I just wish they would tie alternatives into the bill. WE NEED TO GET OFF of OIL. Let's find another way to fuel our cars and give the Middle East the finger. Sit and Spin Ahkmed! Their entire economy is hinged on the price of oil. If we develope alternatives they go back to herding camel.


They will RUE the day they decreased the supply and FORCED us into alternatives. We SHALL be free from the tyrants and overlords of oil. We won't be held hostage to the black death that poisons our water and warms our climates. Americans UNITE!

great politics, perhaps... but the middle east will be absolutely fine, even if we don't buy one more drop of oil. China and Russia will, as will more of the rest of the world. They may not get $100/bb, but they sure built plenty of castles on $20/bbl. If oil were $20/bb and there were millions of gas engines (for a variety of purposes) on the market because we were now using ____________... these other countries would be using more of them, and thus more oil. they couldn't control us, you're right... but they'd still have plenty of money (at least until they run out)

At Eas Wrote:What sort of production do they estimate from the coasts?

ANWR presented as a piece of the solution is ridiculous, given it won't be online for 10 years and at a peak of 800-900K barrels a day isn't going to do much of anything to relieve our dependence on foreign oil or affect prices.

certainly not in the short term... so this isn't a solution all by itself... but as I'm sure you agree, doing something that won't help for 10 years is better than doing nothing (again). There needs to be a combination of short term AND long term solutions. You can't make more oil today... you can't make everyone drive electric cars today... you can't make solar power significant today... but that doesn't mean you shouldn't take steps today so that those things are in place tomorrow... I'm confident you weren't implying that AE... but I wanted to make the point.