This article is over 7 years old

Houston Matters

Why is the Obama Administration Ending Atlantic Off-Shore Drilling Before it Begins?

Last year, the Obama Administration floated a proposal to auction off drilling rights to parts of the Atlantic Ocean in 2021, but earlier this month — amid outcry from coastal communities and environmentalists about tourism, safety and wildlife — the administration reversed that position and pulled drilling in the Atlantic off the table. While some […]

| Posted on

Share

Listen

To embed this piece of audio in your site, please use this code:

<iframe src="https://embed.hpm.io/1/215159" style="height: 115px; width: 100%;"></iframe>
X
Last year, the Obama Administration floated a proposal to auction off drilling rights to parts of the Atlantic Ocean in 2021, but earlier this month — amid outcry from coastal communities and environmentalists about tourism, safety and wildlife — the administration reversed that position and pulled drilling in the Atlantic off the table.

While some environmental groups lauded the move as a victory for the future of renewable energy sources, Jack Gerard, the president and CEO of the American Petroleum Institute, the nation's largest oil and gas lobby, told the Associated Press the decision "appeases extremists" who want to "stop oil and natural gas production" in the United States.

We discuss what the halt to Atlantic drilling means for Greater Houston with Loren Steffy, managing director for 30 Point Strategies, writer-at-large for Texas Monthly, and columnist with EnergyVoice.com.

Michael Hagerty

Michael Hagerty

Senior Producer, Houston Matters

Michael Hagerty is the senior producer for Houston Matters. He's spent more than 20 years in public radio and television and dabbled in minor league baseball, spending four seasons as the public address announcer for the Reno Aces, the Triple-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

More Information

Recent Stories

More Articles by This Author