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Pelosi Statement on Obama Administration's Offshore Drilling Plan

Posted on: Tuesday, 10 February 2009, 18:53 CST

WASHINGTON, Feb. 10 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued the following statement on today's announcement by Interior Secretary Ken Salazar that the public comment period on the Bush Administration's offshore drilling plan would be extended by 180 days, and that the Obama Administration will develop a framework for developing offshore renewable energy:

"Today, Interior Secretary Salazar unveiled a new approach to reviewing the energy potential of the Outer Continental Shelf. With this announcement, the Obama Administration has taken a critical step toward a comprehensive energy policy.

"From beginning to end, the Bush Administration maintained a single-minded focus on oil and gas drilling above all other forms of energy -- releasing a draft plan to vastly expand offshore drilling just four days before President Obama's inauguration.

"The new Administration is stopping this headlong rush to open new offshore areas of drilling, calling for a thorough review, with much greater public participation. And Secretary Salazar is wisely initiating a review of the potential for offshore renewable energy, and moving forward with long-stalled rules to ensure that offshore renewable energy projects can proceed in an environmentally-responsible manner.

"We cannot drill our way to energy independence. But by harnessing all of our domestic energy resources, and aggressively pursuing new technology to unleash them, we move a giant step closer toward energy independence."

SOURCE Office of the Speaker of the House

Source: PR Newswire

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