RELEASE: Not Renewing Ban on Offshore Drilling Right Move

Release:

CANTON - Congress' decision to allow a quarter-century ban on drilling for oil off America's coasts to expire underscores the need to drill now.

"The decision to allow this moratorium to expire without renewal shows that calling for offshore drilling was right," said Republican 16th Congressional district candidate Kirk Schuring.

Schuring has repeatedly called for immediate drilling in ANWR and off the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. The Interior Department estimates there are millions of barrels of recoverable oil beneath coastal waters that have been off-limits.

"My opponent has not agreed with me, and with millions of Americans, that opening up all offshore drilling now will relieve the price at the pump. It's apparent that allowing this expiration is a huge win for consumers struggling with gasoline prices."

Schuring said most residents he speaks with across the district support drilling now.

"Drilling is vital to bringing down the price at the pump in the short-term. However, we must also have an energy plan that aggressively pursues advanced and alternative energy sources including solar, biofuels, clean coal technologies, wind and nuclear."