Oil/Gas exploration on Georges Bank

[Cotuit]

Recently passed energy bill contains provision to allow for oil and gas exploration of Georges Bank.

[Recchia]

YES, because we need more oil. We need to find more so we can be less dependent on foreign nations for oil.

It's sad that this ^ is our latest answer to "foreign oil dependency." Why do we keep finding ways to find more of/improve a failing, non-sustainable form of energy? It's the wrong answer to a major problem.

We need to get out of our cars. Lets analyze the solutions:

Problem: We're running out of oil

Solution 1: Find more oil.

Solution 2: Get people out of cars and onto their feet and transit.

Solution 1 temporarily fixes one problem, an oil shortage. Solution 2 fixes many problems, including environmental degradation by sprawl and air pollution, fat- lazy Americanism, oil shortages, and traffic congestion.

Why the hell would we go with solution 1? Okay I'm done complaining now

[Jerseyman4]

God forbid a catastrophe occured with the oil wells off shore in the north atlantic sea, the seafood industry would be in jeporday from the repercussions of the acquatic environment facing a large decline from the massive oil spills.

The real short term solution is to improve our automobilies to use up less fuel instead of guzzling up oil and then drilling for more.

[JimSawhill]

God forbid a catastrophe occured with the oil wells off shore in the north atlantic sea, the seafood industry would be in jeporday from the repercussions of the acquatic environment facing a large decline from the massive oil spills.

The real short term solution is to improve our automobilies to use up less fuel instead of guzzling up oil and then drilling for more.

Jerseyman:

Your LIBERALism is showing! with today technological innovation of offshore drilling platfoams, a massive oil spell is very unlikely! Hurricane Katrina proved that and it is proven daily in the North Sea. However, we need the oil and it needs to be found in the USA territorial waters. Cuba is drilling 40 miles from Key West in their territorial waters. We need to drill for oil in ANWR, off the coast of Florida, California, and the East Coast. We need to mine for coal, create nuclear power plants, wind turbines (yes even in Buzzard's Bay), and get the government out of the way so Americans can create new powered autos.

Jerseyman, improving mileage won't do much of anything, except to have people in small cars!! You can't tell an American what he can drive! If person A wants to drive a Ferrari it is his business, if person B wants to drive a minivan it is her business -- if i want to drive a Yukon -- to transport my boat -- it is my choice -- and if my boat is a 33 foot with 1550 horsepower -- I have the choice to pay for the gas!

[Cotuit]

Your LIBERALism is showing!

Stop turning everything into a political battle.

[Spartan]

Stop turning everything into a political battle.

Indeed. Concern for the environment is not a liberal issue. I am about as conservative as they come, and yet I care about what happens to our environment. You need to lighten up, Jim. You need to start expressing your thoughts with more respect towards other members.

[runawayjim]

Jerseyman:

Your LIBERALism is showing! with today technological innovation of offshore drilling platfoams, a massive oil spell is very unlikely! Hurricane Katrina proved that and it is proven daily in the North Sea. However, we need the oil and it needs to be found in the USA territorial waters. Cuba is drilling 40 miles from Key West in their territorial waters. We need to drill for oil in ANWR, off the coast of Florida, California, and the East Coast. We need to mine for coal, create nuclear power plants, wind turbines (yes even in Buzzard's Bay), and get the government out of the way so Americans can create new powered autos.

Jerseyman, improving mileage won't do much of anything, except to have people in small cars!! You can't tell an American what he can drive! If person A wants to drive a Ferrari it is his business, if person B wants to drive a minivan it is her business -- if i want to drive a Yukon -- to transport my boat -- it is my choice -- and if my boat is a 33 foot with 1550 horsepower -- I have the choice to pay for the gas!

or your yukon and your boat can run on alternative fuels that are more efficient and have less emissions.

technology only helps so much... it isn't 100% fool proof and spills can and do happen still.

[JimSawhill]

Indeed. Concern for the environment is not a liberal issue. I am about as conservative as they come, and yet I care about what happens to our environment. You need to lighten up, Jim. You need to start expressing your thoughts with more respect towards other members.

Spartan:

I do agree with what you are saying! I am concerned with the environment, also, yet -- we need to drill in our own area instead of being held hostage by TERRORISTS (Middle East shieks) and Thugs (hugo Chavez). With oil sands in Canada (estimated to be comparable to be as much as Saudi Arabia), Oil shale in the Rocky mountain States and oil off the coast of our COUNTRY.

We also need to create tax breaks for American entreprenuers to create engines powered by alternative fuels - for cars, trucks, boats and railroad locomotives. No matter what, we can't just forget about cars -- most Americans won't accept that! We need to plan better for development - to creat walkable communities.

Again, I'm sorry -- I'm not a rock ribbed condservative -- more of a Libertarian -- with the exception of the LIBERTARIANS view of Terrorism and the border. (And the Dems don't have a plan -- YET -- on that issue either. Joe Lieberman might lose his seat, because of his stance on it.)

[JimSawhill]

or your yukon and your boat can run on alternative fuels that are more efficient and have less emissions.

technology only helps so much... it isn't 100% fool proof and spills can and do happen still.

runawayJim:

I just wish that E85 would be at marinas. I want to see alternative fuels for boats. Yes, jim, spills do happens but so far, the Gulf rigs are ok!

[runawayjim]

runawayJim:

I just wish that E85 would be at marinas. I want to see alternative fuels for boats. Yes, jim, spills do happens but so far, the Gulf rigs are ok!

the keyword there is "so far". who's to say that there won't be a problem or that a terrorist won't load a boat up with explosives and go sailing into the rig?

[Spartan]

Who's to say they will? Should we live our lives under the assumtion that somthing bad might happen?

[runawayjim]

Who's to say they will? Should we live our lives under the assumtion that somthing bad might happen?

i'm not worried about terrorist attack, i'm more worried about people holding technology to near-godly status.