Oil companies lobby the GOP for offshore drilling
TEXT OF STORY
JEREMY HOBSON: In a few hours, Democrat Nancy Pelosi will hand the Speaker’s gavel over to John Boehner, as Republicans take over control of the House of Representatives. Already, Republican leaders have made overtures to the business community.
But as Marketplace’s Scott Tong reports from Washington, that’s not stopping the oil and gas lobby from sending over a wish list — just in case.
SCOTT TONG: The American Petroleum Institute just began an ad campaign touting the economic pluses of drilling. Call it a finely targeted roll out: for now it’s at a single subway stop, the one on Capitol Hill. The lobbying group and the Republican majority pledge to go after the Obama Administration and its regulators. Last month, the administration said it has no plans to open new coastal areas to offshore drilling. Bad idea, says Jack Gerard at the Petroleum Institute. He spoke at a briefing yesterday.
JACK GERARD: Taking the Pacific, the Atlantic parts of the Eastern Gulf off the table for the next five to seven years will clearly have adverse impacts on our economy. And our ability to produce the oil and gas we are going to need.
The oil and gas lobby’s also leaning on the State Department to approve a new pipeline connecting to the disputed Canadian oil sands. Opponents say processing that oil is highly polluting. A decision is expected this month or next.
In Washington I’m Scott Tong for Marketplace.
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