House Bars Great Lakes Drilling
GOP Chamber Hands Bush 2nd Setback on Offshore Energy

By Eric Pianin
Friday, June 29, 2001

The House yesterday overwhelmingly approved a measure barring new oil drilling in the Great Lakes, marking the second consecutive week that the Republican-controlled body has repudiated offshore oil and gas exploration favored by the Bush administration.

Increased drilling for oil and natural gas pockets beneath the Great Lakes has emerged as the latest flash point between the administration and environmentalists, as Michigan's Republican governor, John Engler, prepares to lift leasing restrictions on Lake Michigan and Lake Huron that he imposed in 1997.

But with Republicans and Democrats alike concerned about the potential for oil spills or accidental release of dangerous hydrogen sulfide that could contaminate drinking water supplies for millions of people and disrupt fishing and tourism, the House voted 265 to 157 to prevent the Army Corps of Engineers or other agencies from issuing permits or taking action to allow future drilling in any of the Great Lakes.

Seventy Republicans joined 194 Democrats and an independent to approve the ban as an amendment to a $23.7 billion fiscal 2002 energy and water development spending bill. The measure was offered by House Minority Whip David E. Bonior (D-Mich.) and Reps. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) and Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio).

Engler supports a recommendation by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources that could clear the way for as many as 30 wells to be drilled along the shores of Lake Michigan and Lake Huron.

A spokesperson for Engler said the House vote would have "little practical effect" because the state, not the Army Corps of Engineers, has principal say in whether to approve permits for directional drilling in the Great Lakes. Susan Shafer, the aide, said the amendment was "politically motivated" by Bonior, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for governor of Michigan.

Last week, the House by comfortable margins voted to block oil and gas exploration off the coast of Florida and to bar new oil, gas and coal exploration in millions of acres of national monuments, dealing a blow to President Bush's efforts to increase domestic energy supplies.

Yesterday, pro-oil Republicans led by House Majority Whip Tom DeLay (Tex.) blasted Florida's delegation for putting clean beaches ahead of energy security. DeLay helped ram through a measure as part of the energy and water bill that could hamper completion of an 800-mile pipeline to provide Florida with natural gas.

House Appropriations Committee Chairman C.W. Bill Young (R-Fla.) responded that he did "not appreciate attacks on the Florida delegation" and said the measure to block the Alabama-to-Florida pipeline would not be in the final spending bill that reaches the president.