Don't rush more oil drilling
The Deepwater Horizon offshore rig days after the explosion that killed 11 and spilled millions of gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico in April 2010 Credit: U.S. Coast Guard
The rising price of gasoline is a pressing concern, but it should not cause us to act rashly on deepwater drilling, just a year after the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. There's a lot left to be done to prevent any repeat of that disaster.
Realistically, deepwater drilling must continue to fill part of our energy needs. But that doesn't justify undue haste. Congress has not enacted the safety, environmental and other recommendations of a presidential oil spill commission, but it has just debated bills precipitously speeding permitting and other proposals.
Last week, a bill sponsored by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), combining some elements of sweeping bills that had passed the House, fell short. Both of New York's senators wisely voted no.
The setback for McConnell's bill provides an opportunity for more deliberate consideration. For one thing, Congress needs to raise the bizarrely inadequate $75-million cap on liability for spills. And the Department of the Interior needs time to complete its reorganization, separating revenue-raising and leasing from enforcement.
As we move toward wider deepwater drilling, let's remember that its impact on gas prices and reduced dependence on foreign oil is years away -- and probably modest.
For now, the agenda is to enact the spill commission's ideas, fix the regulatory process, and issue permits in a way that balances economic need, safety and environmental protection.
