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Trump Order Helps Offshore Drilling, Stops Marine Sanctuary Expansion (arstechnica.com)
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: In an executive order signed on Friday, President Trump directed his secretary of the interior to review current rules on offshore drilling and exploration. This review is likely to result in a relaxation of the strict protections the previous administration put on offshore oil drilling in the Atlantic and in the Arctic. According to the Washington Post, a review of the rules is likely to "make millions of acres of federal waters eligible for oil and gas leasing." At the same time, Trump's executive order directed the secretary of commerce to cease designating new marine sanctuaries or expanding any that already exist. According to USA Today, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross is also "directed to review all designations and expansions of marine monuments or sanctuaries designated under the Antiquities Act within the last 10 years." The Post says this "includes Hawaii's Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, which Obama quadrupled in size last year, and the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts off Massachusetts." Although these reviews could take some time to complete, they put in motion a bid to favor extraction industries like oil and gas mining. "Today, we're unleashing American energy and clearing the way for thousands and thousands of high-paying energy jobs," Trump reportedly told the Associated Press.
Is there oil off the coast of Mar-a-Lago? Trump pitched a fit about a wind farm off the coast of Scotland near his golf course there. Wonder how he'd feel about a few oil drilling platforms or a spill?
It must have been something you assimilated. . . .
No.
This is very important. This is pushing is one step closer to environmental destruction. No more marine life, just so some oil companies can get richer even faster.
This is important.
And fuck Trump.
Because nearly everything he does is harmful to humanity in some way. Thats why.
You know that, right? We wanted this. Wanted the chaos. God help us all.
Offshore drilling is dying.
It is not because of regulation or marine sanctuaries.
It is because of fracking.
Offshore drilling is hecka expensive, with huge liabilities if something goes wrong.
Deepwater Horizon ended up costing $62 Billion.
It is way cheaper to park a fracking rig in a North Dakota wheatfield.
So once again, Trump is pushing policies that make no difference in the real world.
He isn't going to revive coal mining.
He isn't going to revive offshore drilling.
He's after the appearance of *trying* to bring jobs back. If he has that, he'll keep his supporters even if the jobs never come.