Success! Salazar Announces Investigation of Shady Bush Administration Oil Shale Deals
posted by: LiAnna D. 36 days ago
In the final few days before President Bush left office, his Interior Department worked out a sweetheart deal with oil companies, giving them great rates to destroy tracts of land in Colorado, Utah and Wyoming for oil shale. Nearly 10,000 Care2 members wrote to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar this spring, urging him to oppose this reckless oil shale development. And this week, Salazar did just that.
An Interior Department press release has the details:
Secretary Salazar has also asked Interior's Inspector General to investigate a set of favorable conditions and low royalty rates that were offered on January 15, 2009 -- five days before the end of the previous administration -- to energy companies holding existing RD&D [research, development and demonstration] leases. Secretary Salazar determined that the timing and circumstances of the previous administration's modifications of existing RD&D leases -- called lease addenda -- merit additional review.
"Taxpayers deserve answers to serious questions about why these lease addenda were granted at the eleventh hour, under what circumstances, and at what potential expense to the federal treasury," said Salazar. "We must reform our nation's oil shale program and ensure that the American people have the promise of a fair return from their resources."
The L.A. Times reports on a collusion between Shell (who stood to benefit most from these sweetheart deals) and Bush officials all the way up to former Interior Secretary Gale Norton (who now works for Shell…coincidence?).
Previously undisclosed internal e-mails from the Bush Interior Department and Royal Dutch Shell PLC -- which held three leases and stood to benefit more from the amendments than any firm -- show a concerted if uncoordinated effort to deal with the expected blowback to the amendments. The e-mails were obtained by The Times' Washington bureau.
One Interior official sent an e-mail to colleagues describing the amendments as a "nuclear bomb" that would spark a hostile reaction from Colorado leaders and at the highest levels of the incoming Obama administration, which had already pledged to overhaul Bush administration energy development programs.
These previously undisclosed emails just serve to show how right Care2 members are in urging Secretary Salazar to oppose these midnight Bush deals. Keep signing petitions -- they really do make a difference!
Read more: success, bush administration, environment & wildlife, ken salazar, oil shale, interior department
comments
I refise tp accept amy judgement against Obama and his cabinent when they have only held office for less than one year.
Why is it that the people seem to have forgotten that the terrible conditons in every aspect of American life have resulted from Bush policies and were inherited by Obama.
It will take much more time to correct these pollcies, morse so because the the deplorable economic conditions that started iin the last days of Bush,
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Salazar should be doing more. For example he has condoned the wolf hunt in the west. I am deeply disappointed with Obama for picking him and for the lukewarm environmental program Obama is endorsing. We need a 180 degree turn away from that despoiler of the land and environment, Bush, and a leader who is not afraid to get in the face of business and industry as in the business of mountain top mining for example. Bush was an environmental criminal in my view, and Obama needs to show more balls than he has so far.
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In my area (southern NY), there is a shale, the Marcellus Shale, that also runs through Pa., W. Va., & Ohio that is a source of gas. The gas companies have made homeowners rich by leasing their land & digging on their property, without considering the possible effects on the groundwater. A gated community in northeast Pa., in a rural area, has even been built for the riggers, who get lodging & free meals while they probably contaminate the environment. No environmental studies have been done on the Marcellus Shale, which makes me angry! You can read more about it at pressconnects.com.
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Michael S.: Your critique of, "history", fails to provide a review of the eight years prior, to the ten month history of the Obama administration. Symptoms of the previous administration directly affect the condition of the present one.
Your indictments aren’t founded in objective, “historical”, review. Your reference to perceived violations by the present administration is incomplete and lacks credibility because you don’t support your claims with factual references. For the sake of constructive debate please do your civic duty and gather more facts before spewing partisan rhetoric.
Bush / Cheney appointed more, "czars", than Obama has and they also circumvented more Congressional review of their proposals and actions than any other administration before or since, (so far). They also fired judicial appointees for political purposes in violation of federal guidelines.
Check out Frontline on PBS and review the program titled: Cheney's Law. It aired in 2007 but still provides detailed insight into an administration bent on redefining and distorting constitutional law for its own personal agendas.
If you think Obama has overstepped his boundaries with appointments and deals made with powerful corporate officers, you are going to wet yourself when you take the time to do some objective research into the previous administration and their questionable methods.
I think you will find a more genuine, “SS”, qualities to Bush / Cheney than you
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Actually, history has already shown that Obama has circumvented the US Constitution with the appointment of his czars - all to avoid Senate review as required by the Constitution. Thus the appointment of these far left SS Troops go without notice.
Shady deals?? How come no talk here of his agreement with drug companies to keep the cost of drugs high?
You need to look in the mirror and though it may be painful see the reality of Obama for what he is.
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I have heard so much crap about opening up all of America for oil exploration that I am fed up with it. Even on a so called Christian radio station - one of the announcers spouted off that drilling all of America is the solution to all of Americas problems. That really got me fuming! What about the wildlife who reside in these areas? Was any consideration made for them? Nope. He even advocated drilling in all the national parks. What nut job that one is. I only wish I could remember his name as he would get a letter from me. There are lots of other viable alternatives already in place - whether people like it - Green Energy is here to stay! Go Wind and Solar power!
One thing I also noticed on a recent trip back home is the use of the wind generators. Nice to see those out west! Put that wind power to some good use.
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OMG!!! the people saying Obama isn't doing what he promised.....give him a break! look at the SHIT he inherited!! u think he can fix all the disasters over-nite??! do you think You could??? give him a chance!!! bush and cheny had No regard for the impacts of their actions because they want the money!!! and the war THEY started, wasnt even focused on the right place!??! bush wasnt doing anything with that but trying to finish bullshit his dad started when he was in office!!! and YES, its MOSTLY for the OIL!!!
starting around 1900 man began the process of destruction that in a short time would end up breaking the sky!!! has everyone forgot about the hole in the sky??!! caused by OIL!!! this Beautiful planet has been here for what, Billions of years, and it took man less than a hundred to knock a hole in the sky!!?? people seem to of forgotten that "small" fact??!
as much as i love having a vehicle i try not to use it any more than i have to, to do what little i can to help put less pollution in the sky....and when i see a single person driving around in a BigASS Hummer, it makes me SICK!!! you people should check yourselves and realize that your actions will have far reaching impacts for years to come, and if you have children do you not think they'll be paying the price for the things You've done??!!! wake-up and smell the pollution!!!!
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The People with a positive attude voted Obama for President. He has proven to be a major disapointment. The people are against him for doing nothing. It has nothing to do with what Bush did. In fact Obama was voted in because the people were unhappy with Bush. What has Obama done for unemployment, and the economy (his stimulus package did not work?
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There is a very good reason for the drop in President Obama's approvals; he is doing a poor job and it's showing all around the country; I wish that we could impeach him. The unemployment is at 10%. What are you going to do when its your job that is lost are you still going to support him? His inexperience has impacted this country in such a way, it will take up to 10 years to recover.
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Dale B. is clearly indoctrinated. Perhaps someday he will recognize that he is serving in the military to "protect" us and our rights. Not to blindly agree with anyone who waves a flag and uses scare tactics to control the Americian public.
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