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Category: Readers' Opinions

Focus on future

Jun 08

7:37 AM

Re 'Offshore drilling back in spotlight,' front page, June 19:

Innovation in the expansion of domestic energy resources is stymied by regulation and law.

Special-interest groups easily can conduct so-called 'lawfare' lawsuit actions against energy developers. The effect is to make new development investments too costly and subject to nearly infinite delay in the courts.

Our elected leaders must revisit the potential of offshore oil drilling, wind and solar energy, and especially nuclear power. These resources are cleaner, safer and more abundant than most realize. They are, however, slow to develop, so the time to begin is now.

The fears that discourage wider use of many of these technologies are largely based on old perceptions of risks that have been long ago overcome by modern methods. There are many examples in Europe of the safe application of these capabilities. These solutions will not return us to cheap gas this summer, but the price of gas will probably never be what it was. So we must focus now on long-term solutions. If our elected leaders will not lead, we must hold them accountable at the ballot.

Kevin Stephens

Chesapeake

View 1 comment(s) Link to post

So much for new drilling to lower prices

Submitted by gordonwall on Fri, 06/27/2008 at 7:41 am.

If drilling for more oil will change oil prices then recent events prove that we cant afford new oil. Saudi Arabia increase production and Iraq oil is becoming available and guess what, the price of oil skyrocketed. We cant afford more oil.