Maps of the Day

Last week, President Obama announced a new energy strategy intended, in part, to encourage "developing oil and gas resources in new areas." According to Energy Secretary Ken Salazar:

By responsibly expanding conventional energy development and exploration here at home we can strengthen our energy security, create jobs, and help rebuild our economy. Our strategy calls for developing new areas offshore, exploring frontier areas, and protecting places that are too special to drill. By providing order and certainty to offshore exploration and development and ensuring we are drilling in the right ways and the right places, we are opening a new chapter for balanced and responsible oil and gas development here at home.

Environmental zealots were appalled, claiming Obama reversed his promise to prevent the Republicans' planned "drill, baby, drill." Should conservatives cheer?

No, says Pajamas Media's Rick Moran:

In fact, what Obama giveth with one hand, he taketh away with another. Some leases already in motion have been canceled while potentially huge deposits of oil and natural gas are still off-limits, including the entire Pacific coastline of the United States from the Mexican border to Canada. In addition, in order to expand drilling in the eastern Gulf of Mexico, the president must get the authorization of Congress. This would have been a snap when gas was $4 a gallon, but is much less a certainty today.

Other leases that had been approved in Alaska have also been canceled for further environmental study.

You may recall that, "in 2008 former President George W. Bush lifted a ban his father imposed on offshore drilling -- a move which was seconded by the Democratic-controlled Congress." So, before Obama took office, offshore drilling was broadly permitted except on Florida's Gulf coast:


source: Republican House Natural Resources staff

Obama's new plan forbids drilling in the majority of off-shore areas (including Alaska):


source: Republican House Natural Resources staff

Conclusion: Obama's announcement is less energy plan, more effective politics. The Administration gets bragging rights on offshore drilling, stealing Republican thunder. Greenies perform a Kabuki parade of horribles, which Obama later rejects to the applause of self-proclaimed moderates. Meanwhile, in the real world, the President still stymies drilling, and scant new oil and gas will result.

This is how Obama "restore[s] science to its rightful place."

(via The Corner)