Salazar sued for revoking oil, gas leases in Utah

[Chris]

Salazar sued for revoking oil, gas leases in Utah

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Energy producers suing the federal government contend Interior Secretary Ken Salazar should not have revoked oil and gas leases based on their proximity to national parks in Utah because the parcels are miles away.

The drilling companies said Thursday none of their parcels is closer than 15.5 miles to a park, and that some are 60 miles away.

Salazar voided 77 of the leases auctioned off by former President George W. Bush's administration in December because, he said, they were at the doorstep of Utah's redrock parks.

But lawyers for drillers who filed the federal lawsuit contend Salazar was misled about the proximity of the parcels to Arches and Canyonlands national parks and Dinosaur National Monument. Three of Utah's counties filed a separate lawsuit challenging Salazar's decision.

One of the plaintiffs, Denver-based Questar Exploration & Production Co., contends every one of the yanked parcels was adjacent to an existing and valid lease parcel. The company disputes environmentalists' claims that the 77 parcels would encroach on wild areas of Utah or despoil views from the national parks.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gQ57gJPo7uVsEwipC2hTA0oWLRPwD986DDVG0

[Sam Adams]

The Obama administration's policies are going to drive up energy costs. That will hurt the economy and change the American way of life. (What's more American than the road trip?) But they either don't care, or more likely, it's what they want. These people seem to envision a world where everyone just wants to walk in the park everyday, and looks to government to supply the populace with mass transit.

[SSG Snuggle Bunny]

These tin pots make-up whatever rules they want without regard to contracts or even basic fairness.

Barack Obama: enforcing the rule of LOL

[NHSparky]

The Obama administration's policies are going to drive up energy costs. That will hurt the economy and change the American way of life. (What's more American than the road trip?) But they either don't care, or more likely, it's what they want. These people seem to envision a world where everyone just wants to walk in the park everyday, and looks to government to supply the populace with mass transit.

They already have.  Oil closed down yesterday, but it still around $60/bbl.  If we announced we were starting to drill in ANWR, it would drop to $20-25 overnight.

[Sam Adams]

They already have.  Oil closed down yesterday, but it still around $60/bbl.  If we announced we were starting to drill in ANWR, it would drop to $20-25 overnight.

And that is handing the Republicans a campaign issue for 2012, maybe even 2010. If the Republicans start chanting "Drill, baby, drill," again, it could be a winner.

[JohnnyReb]

And that is handing the Republicans a campaign issue for 2012, maybe even 2010. If the Republicans start chanting "Drill, baby, drill," again, it could be a winner.

The Dims will use the strategic oil reserve (or as I like to call it, "the democrat liquid piggy bank") to keep the price of gas/fuel sort of low until after the 2010 elections and then it's off to the races baby.

Never mind that it cost us a fortune to refill it after Bill emptied it.