Bush administration issues new regulations for oil shale extraction in American West
Articles — By forcechange on November 18, 2008 9:43 am
November 20 is a very important date– on that day, President Bush will have only 60 days left in his administration. This is legally important, since any executive orders he issues within that 60 day period can be easily undone, under the Congressional Review Act of 1996. Unfortunately, the order Bush just issued regarding oil shale extraction in Utah, Colorado, and Wyoming, falls outside of that 60 day window.
Fortunately, however, no leases have been signed under these new regulations, which means it will be easier for the Obama administration to avoid this policy, if they choose.
It should be noted that blame for this executive order can be spread across both parties. Until a few months ago there was a ban in place on new oil shale extraction in these areas. That ban, however, was dropped along with the one on offshore drilling, at the height of election season posturing.
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We are likely the only country with radical groups that try to prohibit us from pursuing our own natural resources. We need hydrocarbons to bridge the gap for a generation while alternatives are made commercial.