Interior Secretary Ken Salazar is slowing down a Bush administration plan to open vast areas of the Atlantic and Pacific to offshore drilling. The Secretary's actions extend a comment period on a time-table for oil and natural drilling in the Outer Continental Shelf or O.C.S., an area that extends more than three miles offshore.
Salazar said the Bush team accelerated plans for oil while at the same time foot-dragging on plans for offshore renewable energy. Salazar called on his agency to produce a report on all offshore energy resources within 45 days and pledged to finish rule-making on offshore renewables "within months."
That could give Georgia power producers answers to how viable offshore wind energy could be just off the coast near Savannah. Scientists have said that the area is a prime location for offshore wind turbines. Federal regulators, however, have been discussing rules for offshore renewables since 1995.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Offshore Oil Slowed, Wind Picks Up Speed
