Experts Say White House 'Misrepresented' Views to Justify Drilling Moratorium

[clearvision]

FOXNews:

The seven experts who advised President Obama on how to deal with offshore drilling safety after the Deepwater Horizon explosion are accusing his administration of misrepresenting their views to make it appear that they supported a six-month drilling moratorium -- something they actually oppose.

The experts, recommended by the National Academy of Engineering, say Interior Secretary Ken Salazar modified their report last month, after they signed it, to include two paragraphs calling for the moratorium on existing drilling and new permits.

Salazar's report to Obama said a panel of seven experts "peer reviewed" his recommendations, which included a six-month moratorium on permits for new wells being drilled using floating rigs and an immediate halt to drilling operations.

"None of us actually reviewed the memorandum as it is in the report," oil expert Ken Arnold told Fox News. "What was in the report at the time it was reviewed was quite a bit different in its impact to what there is now. So we wanted to distance ourselves from that recommendation."

Salazar apologized to those experts Thursday.

"The experts who are involved in crafting the report gave us their recommendation and their input and I very much appreciate those recommendations," he said. "It was not their decision on the moratorium. It was my decision and the president's decision to move forward."

In a letter the experts sent to Salazar, they said his primary recommendation "misrepresents" their position and that halting the drilling is actually a bad idea.

The oil rig explosion occurred while the well was being shut down – a move that is much more dangerous than continuing ongoing drilling, they said.

They also said that because the floating rigs are scarce and in high demand worldwide, they will not simply sit in the Gulf idle for six months. The rigs will go to the North Sea and West Africa, possibly preventing the U.S. from being able to resume drilling for years.

They also said the best and most advanced rigs will be the first to go, leaving the U.S. with the older and potentially less safe rights operating in the nation's coastal waters.

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I'm shocked...

[SrWoodchuck]

Clearvision!

 

It's hard to believe that Evil Troll "Jackboot" Salazar, came from Colorado. I apologize to the entire world for this a$$ole. That he could create more havoc as SecInt, over merely being Senator, is one of those Murphy's Law Czar picks that only Obama can finesse......placing the most seriously twisted jerk, from the outer realm of Pluto; in a place where they can create maximum damage to America.

 

Well, here is an a$$ that begs serious booting!

[Pepper]

This is distressing news - seriously. Am glad the writers of the report called them on it.

 

Obama's Regime: a Confederacy of Dunces.

[pinz]

Well golllly!

 

What are the chances that every single czar makes the wrong choice every single time??????

 

I only pray it's incompetence. We can beat that!

[Sanguine]

White House 'Misrepresented' Views to Justify...

 

As in, "Dog Bites Man"?

[Argyle58]

I wonder when they're going to catch on that Chicago Politics won't work in D.C. A year and a half, and they still keep tripping over their feet.