Political Quotes

“I applaud the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Bonior) for introducing this amendment along with the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Stupak) and others. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of this amendment. Unfortunately, some public officials in Michigan are using recent fuel price spikes to justify their desire to open up the Great Lakes to oil and gas drilling. Although drilling in the Great Lakes may bring a profit to the oil companies, it is not going to solve our national energy crisis or even temporarily drive down the cost of gas in the Midwest. In fact, it is estimated that new wells in the Great Lakes will only yield enough oil to meet one State's needs for 3 weeks. The negligible benefits of expanded oil and gas drilling in the Great Lakes is hardly worth it considering the risks. The type of directional drilling industry proposes carries the risk of oil spills and toxic hydrogen sulfide releases, ruining the lakes' pristine ecosystem and jeopardizing human health. Many of us recall the Exxon Valdez oil spill which dumped 11 million gallons of crude oil contaminating 300 miles of shoreline and causing billions of dollars in damage to one of our most pristine natural wildlife refuges in Alaska. And more recently, an oil spill devastated the Galapagos Islands, ruining miles of shoreline and destroying the environment. As the world's biggest source of fresh water, the Great Lakes must be protected from such a tragedy.”