ORLANDO, Fla. -- Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama said on Friday he would back limited offshore drilling as part of a broader energy package that attempted to bring down gasoline prices and reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil, according to a Reuters report.
Obama dropped his blanket opposition to any expansion of offshore drilling and signaled support for a bipartisan compromise in Congress aimed at breaking a deadlock on energy that includes limited drilling.
"My interest is in making sure we've got the kind of comprehensive energy policy that can bring down gas [image-nocss] prices," Obama said in an interview with The Palm Beach Post during a tour of Florida. "If, in order to get that passed, we have to compromise in terms of a careful, well thought-out drilling strategy that was carefully circumscribed to avoid significant environmental damage—I don't want to be so rigid that we can't get something done," Obama told the newspaper.
In a statement, Obama said he remained skeptical of the value of expanded offshore drilling in fighting rising gas prices. He has said he prefers oil companies to use the land already available. (Click here to view the full statement.)At a news conference in Florida Saturday, Obama said he still does not believe the United States can "drill its way" out of its energy problems, but said he is willing to compromise in order to get a comprehensive energy solution. "And if we can come up with a genuine bipartisan compromise, in which I have to accept some things that I don't like or the Democrats have to accept some things that they don't like in exchange for actually moving us in the direction of actual energy independence, then that's something I'm open to," he said.Obama and White House rival Republican John McCain have battled sharply over the issue of offshore drilling, with McCain backing efforts to open new areas to drilling and Obama opposed.
Public opinion polls show a majority of the public supports expanded drilling to try to battle rising gasoline prices.Obama endorsed the efforts of a bipartisan group of 10 U.S. senators who on Friday unveiled legislation—New Energy Reform Act of 2008—to increase domestic oil production and expand conservation and efforts to develop alternative energy. The bill would require the government to open additional areas in the Gulf of Mexico for development and would allow drilling off the coasts of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia if those states give permission. A commission would be created to recommend areas to be opened for leasing in the future. Offshore production would still only be allowed 50 miles from the shore, and all the new oil produced would have to be used domestically.
It also offers tax incentives for the installation of alternative fueling stations, pipelines and other infrastructure and consumer tax credits of up to $7,500 per vehicle to incentivize Americans to purchase advanced alternative fuel vehicles (those that run primarily on non-petroleum fuels) and up to $2,500 to retrofit existing vehicles with advanced alternative fuel engines. (Click here for details.)
"I welcome today's bipartisan effort as an important step in the process of reducing our dangerous dependence on foreign oil," Obama said in the statement. "I remain skeptical that new offshore drilling will bring down gas prices in the short-term or significantly reduce our oil dependence in the long-term, though I do welcome the establishment of a process that will allow us to make future drilling decisions based on science and fact," he said.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Congress began a five-week recess on Friday, leaving unresolved how to ease the surge in gasoline prices that is certain to be an issue until the November elections and beyond, said Reuters. Lawmakers will resume wrangling over how to bring down the cost at the pump and move the United States toward energy independence when they return from vacation on September 8.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has agreed to a bipartisan request for a summit of energy experts in September to try to end the legislative stalemate. Yet any solution may be put off until after the elections on November 4, when Democrats are expected to expand their majority in Congress and may also win control of the White House.
"There are some [Democrats] who think things are going to look a lot different in the makeup of the next Congress and 'Why don't we just wait until we are more advantaged?"' said Stephen Hess, a congressional scholar at the Brookings Institution, a Washington-based think tank.
Democrats are hopeful that if they win the White House and expand their majorities in the House and Senate in November elections, they will be able to clear Republican procedural hurdles, avoid presidential vetoes and push through legislation of their liking next year.Members help make our journalism possible. Become a CSP member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.