It sounds like that as long as NC-ians get a piece of the action, then we're heading down the road of offshore drilling (Minds open to offshore drilling):
Along North Carolina's coastline, a new tone is creeping into conversations about offshore drilling.
Where once there was nearly universal opposition to platforms in the ocean, some speak of them in a new way -- as a possibility, an inevitability, even a financial benefit to a region long fearful of the damage drilling could do to tourism and ecology.
That's because Congress is moving closer than ever toward permitting natural gas -- and oil, too, if it's found -- to be pulled from the Outer Continental Shelf. A bill passed the House a week ago; another is in the Senate.
The House measure would give some control to states and includes financial returns to states that allow drilling within 100 miles of shore. That incentive, for some, changes the argument.
... But as energy prices rise and talk of energy independence heats up, North Carolina's rock-solid opposition to drilling is beginning to show cracks.
Consider:
* Republican members of the state's House delegation voted for a bill last week that would open the Atlantic to offshore drilling, albeit with state approval required for drilling within 100 miles.
*U.S. Sen. Richard Burr, who sits on the Senate Energy Committee, praised the bill. He said through a spokeswoman that it gives control to the states and makes permanent a ban within 50 miles of shore unless states say otherwise.
* Some local leaders along the coast are saying that if offshore drilling is a foregone conclusion, they want to be part of the discussion and collect any benefits.
There is something about the doubling in the price of a barrel of oil that makes offshore drilling a "foregone conclusion" to those who were vehemently opposed it before. But, don't count on collecting much in the way of local benefits (see below).
The opposition is still there:
Still, some local environmentalists and governments are as opposed as ever. The region's tourism director testified against the House bill in Washington last month. And every local government in the Outer Banks passed a resolution in the past six months against offshore drilling.
"I don't think it's worth the cost," said Nags Head Mayor Renee Cahoon. "I don't think localities will get enough out of it. Everybody in the state will be fighting for the money."
Finally, as we've said before, don't expect energy prices to fall by much with increases in domestic energy production. We import too much for this to happen.
Also, energy prices are too low anyway.
