Interestingly enough, the U.S. military - which has caused enough environmental damage on its own over the decades - now may save Virginia's coast from offshore drilling. It also puts Gov. Taliban Bob McDonnell in a bind since he claims to worship the military, yet seems all to ready to jump in the pocket of Big Oil. It seems the U.S. Navy has stated loudly that offshore drilling is incompatible with naval operations in three quarters of the area sought to be leased by McDonnell under a federal program. Even before this announcement, support for offshore drilling has been plummeting as coverage of the BP disaster in the Gulf of Mexico hits the airwaves daily. Here are highlights from the Virginian Pilot:*
Drilling in most of the Virginia coastal waters that the government wants to use for oil and gas exploration would interfere significantly with military operations, the Defense Department said in yet another major road block for offshore drilling.
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The Pentagon report showed that roughly three-fourths of a proposed lease site would be completely off limits to oil and gas exploration because it would interfere with training, testing, gunnery exercises and other operations, particularly the Norfolk naval base, the world's largest. Much of the rest of the tract is already heavily used by commercial ships served by busy ports in Hampton Roads and Baltimore.
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Rep. Jim Moran, an opponent of offshore drilling, wrote a letter Tuesday to Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, urging him to back off on his push for offshore drilling.
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"I trust you would agree that the presence of the Department of Defense in the Commonwealth is of greater benefit than anything that could be derived from offshore drilling," Moran wrote.
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The Pentagon cannot unilaterally veto drilling proposals, but Dorothy Robyn, deputy under secretary of defense for installations and environment, said the Defense and Interior departments have a long history of cooperation, and drilling has never taken place in an area objected to by the military. "We have every expectation that if we said we need an area ... that they would fully honor that," Robyn said.
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In recent weeks, McDonnell has continued to support offshore drilling while calling for a thorough investigation of the Gulf spill. In March, McDonnell suggested that the Virginia tract should be expanded, which could potentially allow oil companies to more effectively work around any military restrictions.
Drilling in most of the Virginia coastal waters that the government wants to use for oil and gas exploration would interfere significantly with military operations, the Defense Department said in yet another major road block for offshore drilling.
*
The Pentagon report showed that roughly three-fourths of a proposed lease site would be completely off limits to oil and gas exploration because it would interfere with training, testing, gunnery exercises and other operations, particularly the Norfolk naval base, the world's largest. Much of the rest of the tract is already heavily used by commercial ships served by busy ports in Hampton Roads and Baltimore.
*
Rep. Jim Moran, an opponent of offshore drilling, wrote a letter Tuesday to Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, urging him to back off on his push for offshore drilling.
*
"I trust you would agree that the presence of the Department of Defense in the Commonwealth is of greater benefit than anything that could be derived from offshore drilling," Moran wrote.
*
The Pentagon cannot unilaterally veto drilling proposals, but Dorothy Robyn, deputy under secretary of defense for installations and environment, said the Defense and Interior departments have a long history of cooperation, and drilling has never taken place in an area objected to by the military. "We have every expectation that if we said we need an area ... that they would fully honor that," Robyn said.
*
In recent weeks, McDonnell has continued to support offshore drilling while calling for a thorough investigation of the Gulf spill. In March, McDonnell suggested that the Virginia tract should be expanded, which could potentially allow oil companies to more effectively work around any military restrictions.
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