Obama Opens Up Offshore Drilling in Energy Security Plan

President Obama paved the way for offshore drilling of oil and gas as part of a new energy security strategy announced Wednesday. To highlight the military's commitment in improving the security of the country’s energy resources, the president made the announcement at Joint Base Andrews Naval Air Facility in Maryland.

President Obama emphasized that opening up the continental shelf of the United States for offshore drilling is part of a larger strategy to transition the country from dependence on foreign fossil fuels to clean energy and homegrown fuels. He said the decision is something he has considered over the last year and not one he "made lightly."

"We will protect areas that are vital to tourism, the environment, and our national security," Obama said, noting that Alaska's Bristol Bay will be off limits to drilling and exploration.

Congress banned drilling for oil off America's coasts in 1980, which resulted in a moratorium in offshore oil drilling for the past 30 years. That ban expired in September 2008. Since then, areas in the Western and Central Gulf of Mexico have been open for lease. Now, regions off the coast of Virginia and the Carolinas in the South and Mid Atlantic regions will be open for development, as well as parts of the Eastern Gulf of Mexico, according to the Department of the Interior.

There is a lot less to Obama's announcement "than meets the eye," says Ben Lieberman, senior policy analyst at the Heritage Foundation. The holdup in production is the burdensome leasing process, he said, speaking by phone with the Epoch Times. There is a need to lease the resources and streamline the process, he said. Lieberman said that some areas off shore were already open for drilling and some other areas will still be closed for drilling—parts of Alaska and the Pacific Coast.

House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) said allowing for offshore oil production off the coast of Virginia is a positive step. But "keeping the Pacific Coast and Alaska, as well as the most promising resources of the Gulf of Mexico, under lock and key makes no sense," he said in a press release.

"I am open to proposals from my Democratic friends and my Republican friends," Obama said, regarding plans to work toward energy independence.

The Hill reported that the Senate will consider climate change legislation in April. Senators John Kerry (D-Mass.), Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) are expected to present legislation on the topic.

Speaking today Obama said the U.S. has discussed their dependence on foreign oil for decades, but Washington lacked the will to make changes. He said the military is now leading the way. During the announcement at the air base the president was standing in front of an F-18 Navy fighter jet dubbed the "Green Hornet."

The jet is being tested on a mixture of conventional and bio fuels. He said that just this year the Department of Defense invested $2.5 billion to improve energy efficiency and that the Air Force is also testing its jet engines on bio fuels and had some recent successes. The Navy has set a goal to use 50 percent alternative fuel in all planes, ships within ten years.

Obama also mentioned cutting automobile consumption as an important step to reduce dependence on foreign oil. He said the government will take the lead by purchasing hybrid cars and new plug in electric cars due out before the end of the year. Another step is the corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards for cars agreed upon last year. The Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Transportation will sign a final rule Thursday on fuel economy for vehicles of model years 2012-2016.