Why Offshore Drilling Can Bridge Gap to U.S. Energy Future

The Democratic and Republican conventions have arrived amidst a litany of calls for government-sponsored energy projects on the level of Apollo. Despite progress in fields from solar to wind and batteries to biofuels, Popular Mechanics' editor-in-chief says Americans should be careful what we wish for--scientists have more to offer than politicians.

Sadly, our government's track record isn't any better in picking energy sources that it does support. Coal has been a national priority ever since Jimmy Carter put on that cardigan. Yes, coal is plentiful, but it is an environmental headache all the way from strip mine to smokestack. Then there's ethanol. It was less than a year ago that leaders of both parties decided that ethanol made from corn would be a brilliant alternative to foreign oil. Speeches ... Full Story »

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by John Orvis - Aug. 27, 2008

Overall, a weak argument. The numbers from the Energy Information Administration report tell the story (which isn't mentioned in the article): That the excess production from the Outer Continental Shelf will make barely a dent in world supplies and have an "insignificant" impact on prices. What of the environmental damage wrought by offshore rigs? Nasty chemicals and potential spills. Destroying habitats, destroying fishing economies. None of this is mentioned.

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