Off Shore Drilling Ban Expires

Thomas Pyle, president of the Institute for Energy Research (IER), issued the following statement on the expiration the ban on offshore energy production:

“Given the integral role affordable energy plays in the health and vitality of our economy, the ban on offshore energy has been tantamount to withholding food from the starving. It defies logic, common sense, and the state of our technological capabilities all at once. Its complete repeal could lead to one of the biggest economic stimulus this nation has ever experienced, and it could not have come at a better time.”

“Unfortunately, many of the environmental laws and regulations concerning offshore energy production are older than the ban itself, and simply do not reflect the technological breakthroughs that have enabled us to produce energy and protect the environment at the same time. These outdated laws - and those who file frivolous lawsuits based on them - threaten to stop forward progress on greater offshore energy production. That’s why it is critical for the American people to continue their call for increased production of the energy resources they own beneath federal lands. Repealing this ban is just the start.”

Generally speaking, I think the expiration of the ban is a great thing, but we can't celebrate just yet. We still have work to do...namely, answering the question of "What's next?"