State leaders mull gas crisis solutions

Some 200 motorists lined up at a Kroger gas station in Marietta, Ga., on Sunday, Sept. 28, 2008. Scenes similar to this were common throughout the metro Atlanta area, as well as in other parts of the state in recent weeks. (Dave Bender)

Georgia leaders are debating whether to revise the state's emergency fuel plan and are considering ways to bolster gas supply in the aftermath of the abrupt shortage of gas that sent some motorists into a frenzy.

As lines outside gas stations grow shorter, frustrating searches for fuel have given way to soul-searching among Georgia legislators. Critics, meanwhile, have sharply condemned the state's response to the crisis.

The gas shortage started with the one-two punch of Hurricanes Gustav and Ike, which shut down refineries along the Gulf Coast. And the hankering among panicky drivers to top off their tanks when they passed an open fueled station made things worse.

Soon many gas stations around metro Atlanta were shuttered, and some lines outside those that stayed open could stretch for hours. Radio stations eagerly broadcast the names of open stations, and some drivers tailed fuel trucks in hopes of filling up their tanks.

Georgia's leaders updated an emergency plan last year to better handle a gas crisis. Among other options, the plan allows the governor to limit drivers to fill up their tanks every other day and set minimum and maximum limits on how much fuel they can purchase.

Gov. Sonny Perdue lobbied the Environmental Protection Agency to permit delivery of high-sulfur gasoline to metro Atlanta because the cleaner-burning low sulfur fuel normally required was in short supply.

But he ruled out more stringent options amid worries they would spark an even greater panic. Some of the measures proved too difficult to enforce while others weren't feasible, said Perdue spokesman Bert Brantley.

Gas retailers, for one, complained their pumps weren't equipped to set minimum fuel limits. And state officials were uncertain how they would enforce the every-other-day limits if they were enacted.

"You're looking at asking retailers to hire additional folks to be out there and try to enforce something like this," said Brantley. "And what do you do about the guy who's on empty, but it's not his day?"

Perdue, who returned Friday from a weeklong trade mission in Europe, has also taken heat from critics for the his absence in the middle of the fuel crisis.

"The governor should have gotten on MARTA to go to the Capitol as an example to use mass transit," said DuBose Porter, the House's top Democrat. "But he was in Spain, so it would be kind of difficult for him to lead by example."

Perdue's office countered that the governor was still calling the shots from abroad.

"This isn't the '50s where you'd go out of the country and not be reachable for a week," said Brantley. "He is incredibly reachable.

As the dust settles, the governor's office said it will consider several changes to the emergency gas plan, including a more structured policy to apply to the EPA for high-sulfur gasoline permits.

And state officials say they will explore ways to bolster supply of gas. Two pipelines that run from Houston through Georgia supply most of the state's gas, but officials sound eager to explore ways to ship in more fuel.

"There are some capacity issues and supply issues we want to look at in the future," said Shane Hix of the Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority. "We'll look at improving supply, including the diversity of supply from the port of Savannah."

House Speaker Glenn Richardson's office said he'll be looking at "various options" to prevent another crisis.

Legislators could also consider another effort to speed along the construction of a $2 billion pipeline that would stretch from Louisiana to Atlanta's suburbs. A bill to fast-track the construction failed in the Legislature last year, but the project is still moving forward.

Some say the state should have done more.

Democrats said the state should have warned the public about the tight gas supply sooner, and should have been quicker to implement anti-gouging protection. And Porter, the House leader, said legislators should dedicate more funding for alternative transportation by allowing a penny of the gas sales tax to fund mass transit.

"We're lucky it was a better case scenario, not a worst case scenario," Porter said. "But we weren't prepared either way."

Tom Smith, a finance professor at Emory University's Goizueta Business School, said legislators should tighten gouging rules and draft firm plans to take to the airwaves to soothe panicky residents and encourage them to telecommute amid the crisis.

"It's times like these where you have to give people incentives to behave in ways that are counterintuitive," said Tom Smith, a finance professor at Emory University's Goizueta Business School. "You have to convince them to buy less gas."

Some frustrated drivers simply wanted more of a warning.

Lining up at the pump in Marietta, on Sunday, Sept., 28, 2008. (Dave Bender)

Jack Brownfield, who passed 10 Atlanta gas stations this week before finally finding one with one fuel, said state officials should have done more to warn residents about Georgia's precarious gas supply.

"It was predictable," he said.

(The Associated Press)

Click here for more GPB News coverage of the gas crisis.

Motorists fuming over continuing gas shortages

A sign of the times at a pump on West Paces Ferry Road in Atlanta on Sept 28, 2008. (Dave Bender)

Gas lines were long and patience short across Atlanta over the weekend – that is, when there was gas to be had at all. Dave Bender drove from midtown to Marietta, and spoke with motorists at stations along the way.

“It’s crazy – there’s no gas anywhere; North Carolina through Texas…”

That’s Brian, a motorist from New Mexico who’s driving across the southeast.

But right he’s sitting at a station with empty gas pumps on West Paces Ferry Road. That’s a scene echoed throughout the metro Atlanta area.

“…they’ll let you have ten bucks of gas at some places; there’s a lot of this: ‘Sorry – we’re out of gas – you can see the sign’s right there.’”

Suppliers say that’s because they’re still struggling to get enough fuel to gas stations, from Gulf Coast refineries hit by hurricanes weeks ago.

One of the few stations that is open this Sunday afternoon is in Marietta.

Some 200 motorists lining up at a Kroger gas station in Marietta, Ga., on Sunday, Sept. 28, 2008. (Dave Bender)

And station clerk Joel Freley, says the fill-up swarm is keeping his register spinning:

“I made over almost $2,000 in three hours.”

Some 200 vehicles are idling in several lines to get to his eight pump islands – with more desperate drivers pulling in all the time.

One of them is Margaret Batts, who’s hoping to reach the pumps before they shut down for the day:

“Now they only have 400 gallons, so there’s no guarantee I’m even going to get any.”

James Cook of Marietta is sitting ten cars in front of her:

"I have a [Ford] Explorer, this gas tank, and a two gallon gas tank -- yeah, and I don't care what anybody's got to say about it."

Cook almost lost his cool when he thought the car in front of him had drained the last drop:

“He said the tank was outta’ gas, and I’ve been sitting here forever – driving around for three hours looking for gas. I would have flipped out if that was the case.”

Suppliers and state officials are telling drivers like Cook to be patient: it’ll likely take a few more weeks before fuel supplies are replenished.

Lining up at the pump in Marietta, on Sunday, Sept., 28, 2008. (Dave Bender)

Click here for more GPB News coverage of the gas shortage.

Gas shortages still widespread

Motorist fills up Hummer at a station in midtown Atlanta, Sept. 22, 2008. (Dave Bender)

Gas stations in much of the southeast are having a tough time getting enough fuel. Many have temporarily closed, and cars lined up at the pump are a not uncommon sight.

Atlanta, Nashville, and Tallahassee, are among other cities in the region, reporting closures or limited fuel supplies.

Motorist Tate Nichols, who lives in Atlanta suburb Stone Mountain, says he’s seen the biggest problems in town:

“Generally, out in my area, I haven’t had any problem finding gas - I have, in midtown today run across a couple of empty stations that do not have gas - but I found one within two minutes of looking that did have gas.”

State and industry officials say one factor behind the shortage are interrupted supplies from refineries in the Gulf of Mexico. Many closed for the duration of hurricanes Gustav and Ike.

And, an Atlanta law requiring stations to use cleaner-burning fuel means gas can't be easily diverted from better-supplied areas.

Governor Sonny Perdue and other officials here say they expect fuel supplies to return to normal later this week.

Click here for more GPB News coverage of the gas crisis.

Gas Stations in NW Georgia Limiting Fuel Purchases

Several leading fuel analysts believe gas prices will return to pre-Hurricane Ike levels beginning Tuesday. These predictions are based on returning supply as oil production gets back online in the Houston area.

However, in parts of Georgia, some gas station owners in Georgia say they expect new fuel supplies next week.

One east Rome gas station owner says "We just don't have the gas to last much longer."

Many stations in the Rome area are limiting purchases to five gallons. Most stations in the area are charging 3.99 a gallon.

Hurricane Ike is already being dubbed the forgotten storm. While damage to refineries has been lighter than expected, the total cost of Ike is projected to be over 22 billion dollars.

Meanwhile, criticism of FEMA is mounting as residents try to return home after Ike.

Gas supplies limited

When it comes to filling up with gas these days it's a mixed bag. People in some parts of the state have ample supplies, while others are waiting in line to fill up their tanks, In some cases stations are running out.

People in Georgia get their gas from different places. Gas in Savannah comes in at the port, while gas in places like Macon, Augusta, and Atlanta comes from pipelines. Those pipelines are fed by refineries in Louisiana and Texas. Some refineries remain shut down in the wake of two recent hurricanes.

Refineries should come back on line over the next few weeks, but for now supplies are tight. Jim Tudor is with the Georgia Association of Convenience Stores. He says consumers can help by not topping off their tanks.

"If you have three-quarters of a tank of gas, and you pass three gas stations and you automatically feel the need that you've got to go fill up that quarter of a tank just to feel better, that creates real challenges in the marketplace because it's never been designed that everybody can go around with a full tank of gas."

The state is trying to help out by allowing more fuel to be brought in to Atlanta, increasing the number of hour's gas haulers can be on the road, and allowing them to deliver heavier loads.

North Georgia city to consider fuel charge for tickets

A north Georgia police department may have a new way to help combat the rising cost of gas for its fleet.

The city of Holly Springs in Cherokee County might be the first in Georgia to approve a fuel charge for certain types of tickets, including speeding. The proposed 12-dollar charge would also attach to violations of city ordinances.

Public safety departments across the state--and nation--are struggling with how to pay the soaring price of fuel for their vehicles.

Holly Springs police chief Ken Ball says all departments are grasping for straws in trying to keep the same level of public service.

"This gas cost is adversely affecting public safety. Ambulance services, fire departments, police departments…I don’t know what the answer is, but this is the only good answer I saw where the user pays".

Ball says the department’s annual gas budget of around 45-thousand dollars is nearly exhausted only six months into the year.

The Holly Springs City Council will consider the 12-dollar surcharge next week.

Atlanta: Pain at the pump

Motorist fills up Hummer at a station in midtown Atlanta. (file/Dave Bender)

Gas stations in parts of Georgia and the South continue to run out fuel as worried drivers keep filling their tanks. The problem is especially bad in Atlanta.

It’s a hit and miss situation in Atlanta for people who need gas. Long lines form as soon as a station gets a delivery and empties out within hours. Eric Rockcliff who has a Ford Expedition stays in close contact with friends these days:

“I set my alarm to 2:45 am and headed out look for gas. “

Rockcliff got up at 3 am one night and found gas in his neighborhood. Through networking and texting with friends he knew that QT stations were likely to have gas:

“The one closest to my house, even at 3 am line down the street in both directions.”

Rockcliff knew of another QT down the street and got lucky… no lines.

This hit and miss situation, officials say, is caused by a shortage of supply from gulf refineries still reeling from hurricane shut downs. They warn it could be a couple of weeks before things are back to normal.

Officials blame slow supply from gulf refineries still working to get up to full capacity after 2 hurricanes this season.

Click here for more GPB News reports about the gas crisis.

The drive towards less driving

Brent Cranfield telecommutes from his home in Marietta, Ga., one day a week, saving 30 or 40 miles on his car once a week. (Stanley Leary, AP)

Brent Cranfield can thank his boss for saving him money at the pump.

With gas prices so high, Georgia House Speaker Glenn Richardson is letting staffers telecommute one day a week this summer. For Cranfield, who works in the communications office, that means one less trip each week in his Ford Explorer from suburban Marietta to downtown Atlanta and back — saving more than $25 a month on his 16- to 17-mile commute. Cranfield plans to use the savings to help buy a more fuel-efficient car:

"I'm actually waiting for the '09 Camrys to come out so I can try to grab an '08 and get some of that initial sticker price taken off of it."

Some employers are reconsidering the traditional five-days-in-the-office pattern as the national average price for a gallon of gas hovers around $4. The idea is to whittle down commuting costs for workers by allowing them to work from home or switch to four days of 10 hours each.

Then there are more recent gas spike-inspired experimenters — many of them public employers — like at the Georgia Capitol.

"With gas prices exceeding $3.50 a gallon and no end in sight to the increases I want to try and do something to help you with that burden," Richardson wrote in an April staff memo.

This week, the U.S. House of Representatives approved legislation requiring the head of each federal agency to set policies allowing qualified workers to work from home or another convenient location. Giving relief from high gas prices was one factor cited by the sponsor, Rep. Danny Davis, D-Ill.

Savings can add up fast. Santa Clara, Calif.-based Sun estimates that its more than 18,000 employees who can choose to work at home or the nearest office avoid buying 135 gallons of gas a year, which at $4 a gallon would save $540 each. Deborah Bryan, a program manager for IBM in Boulder, Colo., who switched to telecommuting in April, said she now spends $88 to fill up her Ford Expedition every third week, instead of weekly.

Millions of American workers cannot telecommute because they build houses, serve food, mow lawns, treat patients or perform other jobs tied to specific locations. Some companies have responded with programs ranging from van-pooling to bike-sharing.

Another alternative is compressing the five-day work week into four, 10-hour days. Condensed work weeks are the most popular program for employers trying to reduce workers' commuting costs, according to a recent survey by Challenger, Gray & Christmas, a job placement consulting group.

(The Associated Press)

GDOT aiding out-of-gas motorists

Bennie Conley gave out his first gallon of gasoline less than an hour into his afternoon shift.

"I didn't get one this early yesterday," Conley said as he helped another driver stranded without fuel alongside Interstate 285 east of Atlanta.

Conley works for the Georgia Department of Transportation as a highway emergency response operator.

With gasoline in many parts of the Atlanta area topping $4 a gallon, state roadside assistance crews are seeing a spike in the number of motorists who run out of fuel.

"The majority of them probably figured they could make it to an exit," Conley said. "Due to the traffic volume when they chose to get on the highway, it just wasn't possible."

A 5-gallon canister used to last Conley's entire eight-hour shift. Now, he fills up the tank once, and sometimes twice a day.

On a recent afternoon, Conley gave fuel to about one stranded motorist per hour. Each motorist gets about a gallon or two; just enough to get them to the nearest filling station.

"It's not uncommon for me to run into people who ask for more," Conley said. "That's not possible."

Because taxpayers foot the bill for the fuel Conley and the other crews give out for free, the surge in stalls is taking its toll, according to state communications specialist Monica Luck.

"You've got a 5-gallon gas container, it used to be you could take five dollars and fill that up," Luck said. "Now, we're having to spend $20 a can."

In Georgia, the average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline is $3.95, slightly less than the national average of $3.98, according to AAA and the Oil Price Information Service.

Conley acknowledges some drivers try to take advantage of the system, but he records the license plate number of every driver he assists to help weed out those taking more than their share.

For Conley, who said he likes his job because he likes to help people, helping so many drivers who run out of gasoline teaches him an important lesson.

"Once you get off the job and get home, you've got to look at yourself and say, 'I've got to make sure I don't end up in that predicament,"' he said.

(The Associated Press)

Columbus driving highest gas prices statewide

Gasoline prices across Georgia have fallen below the $2 a gallon mark. But a new survey finds Columbus has the highest average price in the state.

AAA said prices at the pumps have tumbled more than a dollar in the past month. The statewide average price for regular-grade gas is $1.96 as of Monday morning. The national average is $2.08.

Augusta has the cheapest metro average for regular at $1.92 a gallon. Columbus had the highest average at $2.05, although several stations in the downtown area dropped to $1.99 over the weekend.

One year ago, Georgia motorists were paying $3.03 for regular fuel, on average.

Oil and gas prices are in a downward spiral because of investors' fears that a global economic slowdown will hurt demand for fuel.

Click here for more GPB News coverage of gas prices.

(AP)

Annual tax adjustment means gas prices up

The cost of filling your gas tank has been down in recent weeks from prices that hovered around three dollars and twenty-five cents earlier this year. But, if you fill up today, you'll notice a slight increase as the state tax on gasoline goes from 15 to more than 17 cents a gallon. At his website, State Senator Chip Pearson calls the gas tax the most reliable funding mechanism for our state's transportation system. The current Georgia Motor Fuel Tax was enacted in 2003. House Bill 43 requires the state's gas tax be adjusted twice a year -- in January and July -- to reflect the cost of gasoline. So, the higher the price per gallon, the greater the motor fuel tax. A midterm adjustment is also required if average gasoline prices fluctuate more than 25 percent, as happened recently on June 1, 2007. According to a spokesperson for Triple A, statewide gasoline prices are averaging 12 cents more than a year ago.

Darien starting 4-day work week over fuel costs

The town of Darien on Georgia’s Atlantic coast is one of the first in the state to go over to a four-day work week, due to rising fuel prices.

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City Manager Brett Cook says the town's 2,400 residents has been hammered with a 48-percent increase in gas prices since 2006:

“Finances are a lot more difficult with the smaller budget, and we’re not a large city by any means, so a small increase in fuel on us would affect us a little bit more than a large city.”

Darien runs a fleet of almost 30 vehicles, including heavy trucks and machinery that run on diesel fuel.

Cook says he hopes the shorter work week will also benefit the city’s employees, many of whom live far from town.

Click here for more GPB News coverage of gas prices and their effect on Georgia.

Local Governments Band Together for 'Fuel In Bulk' Plan

A coalition of north Georgia cities and counties hopes to save money by buying fuel in bulk for its government cars.

It may be the first arrangement of its kind in the state. The 14 governments involved include several from metro Atlanta, and a handful in northeast Georgia, such as Jackson County.

The idea is to band together, and lock-in better prices on gas that will run the communities fleets of vehicles. Just last summer, the budgets of many local governments were stressed when fuel prices spiked to more than $4 a gallon.

Len Bernat is purchasing manager for Jackson County. He says his county benefits from the larger county government of Gwinnett leading this coalition:

"Our advantage is, we'll be able to piggy-back off that price. So I'm getting the advantage as if I had that same number of vehicles in my fleet and that same usage, without having to show that usage."

Individual local governments can opt-out of the arrangement if they find better deals on their own.

The co-op will consider bids from fuel distributors sometime next month. Projected fuel savings for the coalition as a whole could be nearly $1 million.

High gas prices mean more break-downs

More people are running out of gas because high fuel price, and that's taxing the state Department of Transportation. Highway Emergency Response Operators – or HEROs -- are getting 20 calls per shift on average to help people who say they're out of gas. HEROs can give a stranded motorist up to a gallon of gas to help get them to the nearest gas station.

State officials investigate gas price gouging

State officials are beginning to investigate complaints of price gouging at numerous gas stations across Georgia. This comes in the wake of Hurricane Ike’s trek through the Gulf and Texas over the weekend.

Through late this morning, the Governor’s Office of Consumer Affairs says they had received 80 complaints of unreasonable spikes in prices since 7pm Friday. The calls have come in from all parts of the state, and about different companies’ stations.

Early Friday night, the Governor issued an executive order against price gouging. Its aim is to make sure the prices people are paying are in-line with what retailers pay. Over the weekend some drivers around the state saw spikes of over $5.00 a gallon at certain stations, along with some stations running out of gas.

According to the AAA fuel gauge report this morning , the average price in Georgia for a gallon of regular unleaded was $4.16--a rise of 16-cents from Sunday.

The brunt of Hurricane Ike missed the biggest concentration of oil and gas refineries in the Gulf, with damage not as severe as feared. Experts predict gas prices to stabilize this week.

Drivers get gas pump bonus on Jan. 1

Georgia drivers will get a New Year’s gift at the gas pump starting Thursday as the state fuel tax drops by about 4 cents. Every six months the state Department of Revenue resets the gas tax--the state portion of taxes will fall from 11 cents, to 7.1 cents per gallon. That will also result in a drop in local sales taxes on gasoline. Drivers in Georgia and across the nation have been enjoying tumbling prices at the pump for the past couple of months. According to the Triple-A Fuel Gauge Report, the average for a gallon of regular unleaded in Georgia stands at $1.51.

Dire economy led Georgia news in '08

The vast economic crisis has left scores of Georgia's houses empty, its banks shuttered and sent thousands of its residents searching for jobs even as its unemployment rate balloons to heights not seen since Ronald Reagan was president.

The nationwide recession was the top Georgia news story of 2008, according to state editors and news directors voting in The Associated Press' annual survey.

Other stories high on most lists included an energy crisis that sent gas prices on a roller-coaster ride, the U.S. Senate runoff that thwarted Democratic plans for a super-majority in the Senate and the months-long trial of courthouse gunman Brian Nichols.

Yet the economic doldrums was the top choice for seven of 12 Georgia AP members participating in the news cooperative's survey.

Georgia residents began feeling the economic fallout early this year as a growing number of homes remained unsold and credit grew tighter. Firms fired workers, governments furloughed staffers, foreclosures spiked and the state unemployment rate soared to 7.5 percent - the highest in 25 years.

The bleak economy forced regulators to close down five state banks, and led Gov. Sonny Perdue to order spending cuts of at least 6 percent to narrow a deficit that could top $2 billion in 2009.

The new year is unlikely to bring much relief. State economists warn unemployment will climb higher and housing prices will continue to plummet through the first half of 2009.

Volatile energy prices were the No. 2 story of the year. The topsy-turvy fuel market sent the price of crude soaring to as high as $150 a barrel in July before crashing to $33 this month.

The jump in prices, which soared after Hurricanes Gustav and Ike shuttered Gulf Coast refineries, sparked panic among Georgia drivers. Gas stations advertised fuel at $8 a gallon, while some drivers camped out at gas stations to be first in line for new deliveries.

Georgia's seemingly endless U.S. Senate campaign notched the No. 3 spot.

Residents headed to the polls four times to vote on the Senate contest, beginning with the July primaries and ending with a Dec. 2 runoff when Saxby Chambliss was elected to a second Senate term. The Republican's victory over Jim Martin deprived Democrats of a 60-seat filibuster-proof majority.

The conviction and sentencing of Brian Nichols for a deadly shooting spree that began in the Fulton County Courthouse was the year's No. 4 story.

After more than three years and a tangled trail of legal delays, a jury found Nichols guilty of murder. But it deadlocked over whether he deserves the death penalty, forcing a judge to sentence him to life in prison without parole. Now some legislators are intent on changing the state's death penalty rules.

The stubborn drought still squeezing parts of the state emerged as the No. 5 story of the year. While a soggy December helped elevate most of the region from the epic conditions, much of north Georgia - including devastated Lake Lanier - remains in a "severe" drought.

The No. 6 story was the deadly explosion at the Imperial Sugar refinery in February near Savannah that killed 14 workers and injured dozens more. Investigators determined the blast was caused by sugar dust that ignited like gunpowder in the plant's storage silos.

The presidential election, which dominated national headlines, was voted the No. 7 story in Georgia. Democrat Barack Obama's campaign recruited thousands of volunteers focused on turning the state blue, but Republican John McCain managed to claim Georgia's 15 electoral votes.

The No. 8 story of the year broke just hours after New Year's Day.

Meredith Emerson was abducted while walking with her dog that day in the north Georgia mountains, and police later found her body. Authorities soon arrested Gary Michael Hilton, who is now serving a life sentence after pleading guilty to her murder.

The Delta Air Lines merger with Northwest Airlines took the No. 9 slot, as the combination made the Atlanta-based carrier the world's largest airline. It completed a remarkable turnaround for Delta, which had filed for bankruptcy in 2005.

Clayton County's education woes was the year's tenth-ranked story. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools revoked the county's accreditation after it failed to meet a range of recommendations. More than 3,200 students have since bolted.

Stories close to making the list included convicted murderer Troy Davis' efforts to get a new trial and avoid execution, a legislative session that again ended in gridlock and an explosion at a Dalton law firm that killed the person responsible and injured four others.

(AP)

Georgia lawmakers back Bush on drilling

Georgia lawmakers largely support President Bush's call to lift a long-standing ban on offshore oil drilling, including off the state's coast.

All nine of Georgia's Republican congressmen, including both senators, back the proposal. Three of six Democrats also support it, along with Republican Gov. Sonny Perdue.

The new push for drilling is a response to increasingly urgent complaints from constituents about $4-a-gallon gasoline.

Many experts, including Energy Department forecasters, predict that offshore supplies would amount to a drop in the global bucket and would have little effect on gas prices. But drilling supporters say no one really knows how much oil is out there and that Congress can no longer ignore it.

"People all too often want to say ... 'not in my backyard.' But as a nation in a fuel crisis, we simply cannot afford to take any option off the table," said Rep. Phil Gingrey, R-Marietta. "We're not talking about setting up an oil rig on the sandbar where you collect seashells. We're talking about responsible exploration."

President Bush on Monday lifted an executive ban that his father put in place in 1990 that prohibits offshore drilling in most parts of the country. He is pressing Congress to lift a similar legislative ban.

Based on studies done 25 years ago, the Interior Department estimates that 18 billion barrels of recoverable oil likely will be found beneath coastal waters now off limits. The U.S. consumes about 8 billion barrels per year.

In a report last year, the Energy Department forecasting arm said it would take until 2030 before offshore production really got going. Even then, the report said, "because oil prices are determined on the international market ... any impact on average wellhead prices is expected to be insignificant."

Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Lithonia, said the benefits are "not worth the risk."

"Every week I advise constituents that there is no easy fix and we will not be returning to the era of cheap gas and oil," he said.

Rep. David Scott, D-Atlanta, said that while he might support limited new coastal drilling — such as what Congress opened recently in the Gulf of Mexico — Republicans are missing the point by focusing on oil.

"We must find substitutes for oil and natural gas so that crises such as this do not occur again," he said.

But Scott and Johnson are in the minority among Georgia lawmakers, along with Rep. John Lewis, D-Atlanta, who has long opposed new drilling.

The rest of the delegation backs offshore development, including Democrats John Barrow of Savannah, Sanford Bishop of Albany and Jim Marshall of Macon.

Republican Sens. Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson, who have been trying to broker a bipartisan energy compromise recently, said Congress can no longer ignore potential resources. Even if offshore production would play only a bit part in a broad energy portfolio, Isakson said, making it available would influence market forces that are driving up prices.

"Those who speculate on the future prices would understand that the United States has finally had enough," he said on the Senate floor Tuesday.

Supporters also say oil rigs would be so far off the coast that beachgoers wouldn't see them.

Rep. Lynn Westmoreland, R-Grantville, said the new production also could become a major revenue source for the state, as it has been in Louisiana and other Gulf states, which get a share of government royalties.

Rep. Jack Kingston, R-Savannah, said domestic production is "step one."

"It's just like dieting we need to reduce intake and increase output," he said.

Click here for more GPB News coverage of the gas crisis and energy issues.

(The Associated Press)

F-15 flies using synthetic fuel

Robins Air Force Base is testing synthetic fuel in its F-15's. This is the first high performance aircraft to use a blend of jet fuel and a natural gas derivative. The substance has already been tested in cargo planes and bombers and performed well.

Pilots say the planes, flying close to 15-hundred miles per hour, flew normally as they crisscrossed Middle Georgia for close to an hour. The Air Force plans to test the fuel in other planes soon. The Robins Air Logistics Center in Warner Robins is responsible for maintaining the Air Force's fleet of F-15's.

Ga. cyclists beat gas prices with 42-mile commute

Barry Lord is reluctant to admit it, but there are mornings when he can't stand the thought of riding his bike to work -- those mornings when the thermometer is pushing 100 degrees, when his 45-year-old legs are aching and his car is beckoning.

Still, he stands outside his north Georgia home most weekday mornings, bracing for his commute: A 42-mile round trip across winding rural roads, past farms and stores, through remote stretches and busy intersections.

For Lord, who has a perfectly functioning car sitting unused in his driveway, and his friend Michael Elliott, who rides with him most mornings, hopping on a bike instead has them burning calories instead of fuel.

"We enjoy riding," says Elliott. "And we enjoy the opportunity not to put gas in your tank."

The two figure riding a few days a week helps them each save $20 to $30 a week. More than that, though, they appreciate the intangibles of their rigorous schlep to the office each morning across north Georgia -- like the built-in workout and the feeling of accomplishment after every ride.

Their trips evolved slowly, starting with a 14-mile exercise loop during lunch breaks. Lord first scouted the route last summer, and the two began riding months before gas prices rose to $4 a gallon.

At work, they've gotten their share of shrugs and bemused looks, but they've offered others a dose of inspiration. One co-worker has enthusiastically followed their lead, buying a bike and starting to ride on her own.

Each morning the commute begins with a certain calming ritual around 7:30 a.m. The two grab a bite to eat, don bicycle pants and sleek helmets, fill plastic bottles with water or sports drinks and top off lean rubber tires with air.

Their ride starts out on flat, lonely country roads. This early, there are few cars in this neck of the woods, and motorists either quickly pass the cyclists or drive patiently behind them.

As they pedal down roads lined with grazing cows, the stench can get overbearing. Elliott, lunging forward amid a particularly painful stretch of chicken coops, makes a bonus out of the stink.

"It keeps you motivated," he says.

The high point of the ride -- really, the low one -- is a dip in the road as they speed across a bridge spanning the Chattahoochee River.

From there the route becomes more difficult -- and more crowded. They converge on busier roads and a long line of cars gathers behind, some drivers flashing their brights and honking horns. When the narrow road opens into a passing lane, the cars zoom by, with one driver flashing the pair a nasty gesture.

They hit the home stretch and coast into Ethicon, a medical device company with an office in Cornelia, Ga. They leave a car there just in case the weather turns rough or an emergency arises, but today it's become a closet of sorts, where the two store their bikes and clothes.

The exhausting ride is over, and the two are dripping with sweat. They look down at Elliott's electronic counter to see how they did: Their top speed was more than 46 mph and their ride took about an hour.

"Let's face it, we're choosing a route that's as environmentally friendly as can be," Elliott says. "Carpooling is great, but this is as clean as you can get."

But was it worth it? They've still got to shower and change at an office locker room before they both begin their day of work as engineers. And the same tiresome route awaits them for the ride home -- except this time the sun will shine hotter.

"Yeah, it's worth it," says Lord. "If you were looking at someone who was doing it for sheer economics, it won't be. But I enjoy bicycling anyways, so it's a double benefit."

He chuckles.

"Now, it would be a lot more enjoyable if it was only 10 miles. But it isn't."

(The Associated Press)

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