State legislators prepare for off-shore drilling
South Carolina lawmakers today urged their colleagues to move quickly to take the necessary steps to allow offshore oil and gas drilling, if the federal ban expires as expected next week.
The calls for action came as Democratic leaders in Congress signaled they will not attempt to push legislation extending the ban, which has been in place since 1981. President Bush this summer lifted an executive ban on offshore drilling.
Even if the ban expires, however, officials and legislators said it will take time for the state to be approved for energy leases and to negotiate a share of royalties with the federal government.
“My view of it is full steam ahead,” said Sen. David Thomas, a Greenville County Republican who said state law already allows off-shore drilling. Thomas said he wants any drilling to occur at least 12 miles off South Carolina’s shore.
Sen. Shane Massey, an Edgefield Republican, outlined a series of steps he said the state needs to begin immediately if wants to pursue any of the royalties.
“South Carolina officials have remained silent while Virginia’s leaders have worked hard to become part of the Department of Interior’s five-year plan for offshore drilling,” Massey said. “The potential royalties to our state could be significant and could jump start our economy in the midst of rising unemployment rates.”
U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint of Greenville this morning urged Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to allow consideration of his proposal to expedite federal approval of energy leases, allowing states to share in royalty payments and prevent “frivolous” enviornmental lawsuits.
“It has been suggested that Democrats plan to use environmental lawsuits to block exploration until they can reinstate these energy bans after the November elections,” DeMint wrote Reid, according to a copy of his letter he released this morning. “This would be a major mistake. I hope you will work with me to protect and expedite access to this new energy supply.”
According to DeMint, American reserves offshore are estimated to hold over 20 billion barrels of oil and 97 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. In the western United States, oil shale is estimated to be between 800 billion and 2 trillion barrels of oil — more than three times the proven oil reserves in Saudi Arabia, according to DeMint.
By Tim Smith
The Greenville News
September 24, 2008
