Before 210,000 gallons of oil a day were engulfing the Gulf Coast, recall that just a month ago, President Obama announced support for a dramatic expansion of offshore drilling. Though it was derided by environmentalists as a premature concession to Republicans, the president's defenders argued it was necessary to win climate legislation the support of wavering conservative Democrats in the Senate.
In the wake of the spill, birds and turtles may not be the only things dead in the water. At a press conference yesterday, Sens. Bill Nelson (D-FL), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), and Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) all pledged to oppose any expansion of offshore drilling, with Nelson threatening to filibuster if it were to be included. The Senate climate bill, is now unlikely to include any offshore drilling.
If anything, the tragedy in the Gulf argues strongly for a serious focus on renewable energy, as well as carbon caps, which would not only reduce carbon emissions but would increase energy efficiency. And yet, the irony is that by killing support for expanded drilling, the Deepwater spill, may well be dooming the overall climate bill. Without the support of Republicans and conservative Democrats, no climate bill is going to pass.
Can the Senate get 60 votes for a climate bill without offshore drilling? Perhaps if the Senate were a sane institution. I'm not holding my breath.
More on this from Brad Plumer and Ezra Klein.
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