Quote:
Originally Posted by BBQMan
...while I agree that this a disaster, we need to be careful not to let overblown media magnify it beyond what actually occurs. This reminds me of the many around the clock stories on hurricanes when nothing of the sort was justified. The oil, in this case, is light crude as opposed to the heavy, almost tar like discharge from the Exxon Valdeze. This will make cleanup easier and quicker.
This does not mark the death of the sea life in the affected area. It will come back just as it did in Alaska and Spain. As for drilling off the Florida coast, this should not be a factor. The eastern Gulf supplies natural gas not oil. If you doubt this look at all the platforms south of Alabama. All natural gas.
While we must do everything necessary to stop the flow of oil and clean up the damage, we should not lose track of this nation's need for energy independence.
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I agree, with one exception.
The U.S. Department of the Interior establishes the regulations for the construction, placement, operation and inspection of "U.S.-flagged" drill rigs. I've read articles recently--sorry, I can't provide a link--that the regulatory requirements for blowout protection and mediation are less restrictive on rigs close to our coasts than in other parts of the developed world. The lesser regulatory requirements substantially reduce the cost of the construction and operation of oil rigs close to our coastlines.
How that happened would take a lot of study, I'm sure. Unfortunately in our system, the influence of big oil lobbyists immediately comes to mind.
Whether or not such additional regulatory protections might have avoided or mitigated the current disaster remains to be investigated and reported on. But at the very least, rigs which present a threat to our coastlines should be regulated at least as well as those in other countries.