Thursday, July 1st, 2010 – Mark Levin Show
Obama Shuts Down 33% of the Country’s Oil Refining Capacity
Breaking: Obama shuts down 33% of the country’s oil refining capacity
Whereas Obama is trying to crush Arizona by suing it into the ground to prevent it from defending itself from illegal immigration, and it is preventing any clean up efforts in Louisiana after 71 days, it has just been learned from one of our conatcts in Texas that Obama by way of the EPA has just shut down today 33% of the country’s refining capacity.
While Obama was unsuccessful at putting a moratorium on oil drilling, he was able to accomplish the same thing by putting a stranglehold on oil refining which accomplishes the same thing. With 1/3rd of the country’s oil refining gone what do you think this will do to the economy? this was the inherent threat that Obama had presented for months. either give him Cap and Trade or we will shut everything down through the EPA.
What do you think this will do to the economy of Texas.
Let's recap what has happened in the last 90 days.
Obama is going after Arizona and trying to cut off all border security aide while suing the sate.
He is making no attempt to stop the oil leak in Louisiana. This is now affecting the economies of Louisiana, Texas, Georgia and Florida.
He is going aftre Texas and with this double whammy of shutting down the refineries and the oil spill the sate that was doing the best in the country is now being taken down.
So far Obama has completely trashed five states and is in the process of destroying their economies. What chance do you think there is of a recovery
Hope and change! Totalitarianism is here!
“EPA overturns 16-year-old Texas permit program
By RAMIT PLUSHNICK-MASTI, Associated Press Writer Ramit Plushnick-masti, Associated Press Writer Wed Jun 30, 5:35 pm ET
HOUSTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday officially overturned a 16-year-old Texas air permitting program it says violates the Clean Air Act, leaving some of the country's largest refineries in a state of limbo.The move comes after years of backdoor bickering, negotiations and public arguments between the EPA and Texas. The argument recently escalated from a battle over environmental issues into a heated political dispute over states' rights.
He has been using it to drive home his contention that President Barack Obama's administration is overreaching, saying in a statement Wednesday that "Texas will continue to fight this federal takeover of a successful state program."The EPA's decision, announced in a statement, will force some 125 refineries and petrochemical plants to invest millions of dollars to get new permits. Many of the plants may also have to invest in updates to comply with federal regulations.” More…
With 1/3rd of the country’s oil refining gone what do you think this will do to the economy?
EPA overturns 16-year-old Texas permit program
By RAMIT PLUSHNICK-MASTI, Associated Press Writer – Wed Jun 30, 5:35 pm ET
HOUSTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday officially overturned a 16-year-old Texas air permitting program it says violates the Clean Air Act, leaving some of the country's largest refineries in a state of limbo.
The move comes after years of backdoor bickering, negotiations and public arguments between the EPA and Texas. The argument recently escalated from a battle over environmental issues into a heated political dispute over states' rights.
Gov. Rick Perry has been using it to drive home his contention that President Barack Obama's administration is overreaching, saying in a statement Wednesday that "Texas will continue to fight this federal takeover of a successful state program."
The EPA's decision, announced in a statement, will force some 125 refineries and petrochemical plants to invest millions of dollars to get new permits. Many of the plants may also have to invest in updates to comply with federal regulations.
The decision did not come as a surprise to Texas or the industries. EPA regional director Al Armendariz has said for months he would disapprove the permits if Texas did not comply with the Clean Air Act.
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality's chairman Bryan Shaw insisted Wednesday the state's permitting program complies with the Clean Air Act and has improved air quality in Texas. However, in an effort to satisfy the EPA's concerns, Shaw said the commission recently changed the rules but apparently the EPA "did not take them into consideration."
Texas can challenge the ruling in court, but a commission spokesman said it hasn't decided whether to go that route.
Armendariz said the proposed rules were in the first stage of a lengthy approval process that could take months or even years.
"I can't wait to take action on these permits. I've got to act soon because these permits are seriously flawed," Armendariz told The Associated Press.
The EPA's move on Wednesday addresses Texas' so-called flexible permits, which set a general limit on how much air pollutants an entire facility can release. The federal Clean Air Act requires state-issued permits to set limits on each of the dozens of individual production units inside a plant. The EPA says Texas' system masks pollution and makes it impossible to regulate emissions and protect public health.
Texas has been issuing the permits since 1994 even though it never received the required federal approval. The EPA made clear at least five years ago it believed the permits violated federal air laws, warning Texas and the refinery and petrochemical industry it would take action. The industry, uncomfortable with the uncertainty, sued the EPA in 2008, demanding the agency take action on this and several other programs that remained in limbo.
The EPA was under a court-ordered deadline of June 30 to either approve or disapprove the flexible permit program. On Wednesday, a federal court rejected a last minute appeal by the industry to extend the deadline.
Armendariz said he has instructed his staff to work closely with Texas and industry leaders to fix the permits.
The EPA has been working with industry leaders to find a way to effectively and efficiently issue new air permits to the impacted plants, including the nation's largest refinery, Exxon Mobil in Baytown, Texas. The EPA has offered them an independent audit mechanism that would allow them to correctly measure air pollutants to get the new permits, while ensuring them they would not be penalized for violations uncovered.
Matthew Tejada, executive director of Air Alliance Houston, one of several environmental groups that has opposed the permits, welcomed the EPA move but said he expects a state and industry-led legal battle against the agency.
EPA is Obama's Offshore Drilling Ace in the Hole
April 5, 2010 - 1:52 pm
The best strategy in poker involves tricking your opponent into thinking they have the upper hand, while secretly maintaining an advantage. Recent statements from the White House indicate its political strategy on energy employs a similar variety of sharking.
This political card game began last week with the announcement of a badly needed update to America’s plan for accessing the vast oil and natural gas reserves in the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). Such action is a strong step in the right direction in ensuring America’s energy security, and relieving stress on global energy markets. But it’s important to recognize that this announcement is just a single move in a much larger game.
The administration’s concessions on offshore access represent a clearquid pro quo strategy designed to secure Republican support for a climate bill to pass through Congress in 2010. And taken at face value, increased OCS access appears to be a significant compromise coming from those who oppose continued use of traditional energy supplies. Like any good gambler though, opponents of this critical resource development have an ace in the hole.
These perceived concessions made on the part of the Obama administration are at the mercy of the Environmental Protection Agency. The president could later use his bureaucratic reach to delay and even negate these concessions, making his “policy shift” all smoke and mirrors. The agency has to date, demonstrated an aggressive desire to move forward with regulatory limits on carbon dioxide emissions, despite Administrator Lisa Jackson’s public statements about her preference for a legislative solution. There is nothing to suggest that we will not see a similar tactic used to delay drilling indefinitely.
President Obama has made clear that he will pursue drastic emissions reductions that will greatly limit America’s ability to use fossil fuel resources of any kind. In fact, the administration’s current emissions goals of 83% below 2005 levels by 2050 will limit fossil fuel usage to 10% of the national energy mix by 2050. To put this in perspective, the U.S. currently relies on fossil fuels for over 86% of our energy needs.
What’s more, current regulatory requirements for exploration and production in U.S. waters are very stringent. This insures that drilling occurs in a safe and responsible manner, and that spills resulting from drilling are uncommon, if not entirely unheard of here. An environmental study is required to establish what the impact of drilling will be on the local ecosystem. This assessment can take years. And should the findings be significant, the drilling may not occur at all. While these studies are occurring, the U.S. will not see one drop of oil come out of any of these wells. Such draconian policies will inevitably stifle American growth and ignore the complex realities of the worlds growing energy demand.
The combination of an endless wait for offshore drilling and severe rules that limit our ability to use these resources make it clear that current energy policy is an attempt by opponents of energy resource development to concede little now, for great political gains down the road. Such a strategy will inevitably contribute to skyrocketing energy prices, erode U.S. energy security and force an unnecessarily complicated and costly transition to newer technologies that have not been fully developed.
“Giving” offshore drilling to advocates of expanded OCS access is no bargain if the concession is never realized. While many will claim this is a short term victory for advocates of expanded domestic production, it won’t take long for this house of cards to fall.
Dr. Michael EconomidesBio | Email
Michael J. Economides, Editor-in-Chief of Energy Tribune, is a leading energy analyst, consultant, educator, petroleum engineer, and author
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