Few Bush-era energy leases are valid, report finds

[Ichingcarpenter]

Source: LA Times

Reporting from Denver - Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said Thursday that only 17 of 77 oil and gas leases on Utah public lands that the Bush administration auctioned off in December were valid and that his agency would prevent development on the remaining parcels, at least in the near future.


Salazar spoke at a Washington news conference to announce the findings of a report he commissioned this year on the parcels, which became the subject of a fierce controversy during the waning days of George W. Bush's presidency.

Environmentalists contended that the auction of drilling rights on 100,000 acres of federal land in southeastern Utah were a last-minute giveaway to the energy industry. The environmentalists won a restraining order from a federal judge halting the sales.

Salazar revoked most of the leases upon entering office and said his staff would study which were appropriate. On Thursday, he said the review found that few were.

Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-ut...

[SpiralHawk]

1. "Smirk." - xCommander AWOL & Republicon Fatcat Oil Cronies

[Soylent Brice]

2. *chuckle*

good one.

[Soylent Brice]

3. K&R

[wilt the stilt]

4. National parks

If you watched the National Parks Ken Burns piece this is the classic confrontation. When I watched the episode on harold Ickes sr.(Republican) and gale norton I just can't believe the differences.
For the people or for the few. The republicans believe in the aristocracy.

[Judi Lynn]

5. This is news we can LIVE with. Thank you. n/t

[Stumbler]

6. Lol. Surprise, surprise...

[Submariner]

7. Ha ha ha ha ha

So all that gaming of the system by the Bush junta last Nov/Dec is turning into poop for them. Suck on that Bushco.

[SpartanDem]

8. U.S. Blocks Oil Drilling at 60 Sites in Utah

Source: NY Times

WASHINGTON — The Department of the Interior has frozen oil and gas development on 60 of 77 contested drilling sites in Utah, saying the process of leasing the land was rushed and badly flawed.

The 77 government-owned parcels, covering some 100,000 acres in eastern and southern Utah, were leased in the last weeks of the Bush administration. But the leases were immediately challenged by conservation groups, and in January a federal judge blocked drilling on the ground that the Interior Department had failed to follow its own procedures for reviewing the appropriateness of lands designated for oil and gas extraction.

An Interior Department review team then presented Secretary Ken Salazar with a recommendation that drilling be allowed to proceed on 17 of the 77 parcels. But it also said that the leases on eight parcels should be withdrawn and that 52 should be subjected to further study because of potential threats to wildlife and air and water quality
(snip)
Jack N. Gerard, president of the American Petroleum Institute, the chief trade group for the industry, criticized the action, saying it was one of a series by the Obama administration to thwart oil and gas development.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/09/science/earth/09lease...

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The API can suck it

[CaliforniaPeggy]

9. Mr. Gerard is wrong.

We're not trying to thwart oil and gas development.

We're trying to protect the land.

[Bette Noir]

10. This is what I always go back to, when I'm disappointed with something Obama has done or said.

His administration canceled Bush's last-minute oil leases outside Arches. For this, I will be forever grateful. Anything else he accomplishes is gravy.

[2Design]

12. National Parks are a treasure - finding other ways for energy are

more important than destroying parks for limited resources - work on finding more ways for energy Mr. Oil Companies

[naaman fletcher]

14. I used to work for a large oil and gas producer...

I believe the largest independent. Anyway, there are merits to both sides of the story. The oil companies are perfectly capable of producing oil and gas with almost negligible impact to the environment. Most drilling, at least from the large independents, in fact usually is done in a very professional manner.

However, I said "Most". When they are out of sight (like in the third world) they are more likely to cut corners. Also, the oil companies often sub-out drilling and associated services to 3rd parties who sometimes cut corners.

My point is, when the oil companies say that they are capable of drilling in national parks without risking the parks, they are telling the truth. They just don't always do it that way.

So, in general I am fine with the drilling so long as there is a regulatory system requiring lots of bonding, and requiring that the controlling producer be financially responsible for everything that goes on whether they sub-out the work or not, etc.

[tomm2thumbs]

11. I thought the GOP was against rushing legislation? shall we cut the irony with a knife?

[Robb]

13. But I read here Salazar is a GOP/Oil/Gas shill.

I really should fact check the DU sometimes.