Paul Tonko: “Here we go again. It isn't enough that the Obama administration's offshore drilling plan makes more than 75 percent of…”

“Here we go again. It isn't enough that the Obama administration's offshore drilling plan makes more than 75 percent of our oil and natural gas resources available for drilling; but the majority is not going to be happy until we have turned over every square foot of our public lands and our coastline to the oil and gas companies. H.R. 6082 abandons any pretense to the support of states' rights by mandating lease sales for the east coast and southern California--the coastlines of States that are on record as opposing oil and gas drilling along their coasts. {time} 1720 Too bad New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. If your citizens want to prioritize the tourism, recreation, and fishing industries, Big Oil wants to move in, and H.R. 6028 gives them the authority to do so. H.R. 6082 requires no public comment or consultation with the States. Apparently, those steps, steps followed by the administration in putting together their plan, are too time consuming. Besides, they may result in opposition to this ill-conceived drilling plan.…”