• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

McCain’s Offshore Oil Plan Draws Major Opposition

Posted on: Wednesday, 25 June 2008, 00:10 CDT

Republican presidential candidate John McCain threw his support behind U.S. offshore oil drilling on Tuesday, which drew major opposition from voters in environmentally conscious California. 

McCain announced his ideas with the help of California's popular Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. The meeting was held at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History.

McCain wants to lessen the United States dependence on foreign oil and reduce greenhouse gas emissions blamed for global warming.

A group of protesters gathered outside the museum, and chanted, "Get oil out" and holding up such signs as, "Not off our coast" and "We can't drill our way out of the energy crisis."

Michael Feeney, executive director of the Land Trust for Santa Barbara County complained to McCain during a round-table discussion. McCain will face Democrat Barack Obama in the November presidential election.

Santa Barbara was the site of a major oil spill in 1969.

"It makes me nervous to think about those who are proposing to drain America's offshore oil and gas reserves as quickly as possible in hopes of driving down the price of gasoline," Feeney said.

Feeney also said he opposed McCain's plan to meet America's rising energy demands by building new nuclear reactor plants.

Obama has also criticized McCain's proposal to encourage the building of 45 new nuclear reactors by 2030. He said it lacked a plan for waste storage and was among several energy-strategy ideas that Obama said were "not serious energy policies." 

McCain argued Feeney's criticisms of his nuclear power plans.

"The technology is there. The Europeans are doing it. It's safe," McCain said.

In his prepared speech, which kick-started the discussion, McCain did not discuss offshore drilling; however, he did point to the lack of domestic energy production.

"When people are hurting, and struggling to afford gasoline, food, and other necessities, common sense requires that we draw upon America's own vast reserves of oil and natural gas," he said.

McCain has said recently, he supports the right of individual states to determine if they want offshore drilling.

Schwarzenegger did not discuss offshore drilling at the event. He is opposed to the policy.

The U.S. energy crisis has stolen the spotlight in the presidential campaign. Americans are struggling to pay for $4-a-gallon gasoline, a factor that has both made the daily commute to work more expensive, and increased the price of goods and services.

McCain believes he has a chance to win California-historically a blue state- in the November election, and is counting on independent voters to help him.

But Democrats say McCain will continue some unpopular policies of President George W. Bush, which include offshore drilling.

McCain claims if he defeats Obama, the federal government will no longer just preach the virtues of energy efficiency. The Arizona senator said he would, "put the purchasing power of the United States government on the side of green technology."

If elected, McCain said he would require the 60,000 cars and trucks purchased every year by the federal government -- except for military vehicles -- be flexible-fuel capable, plug-in hybrid, or cars fueled by clean natural gas.

He also said lower carbon emissions should start at the highest level, "Our federal government is never shy about instructing the American people in good environmental practice. But energy efficiency, like charity, should begin at home."

Source: redOrbit staff and wire reports

More News in this Category