Democratic antics on Alaskan oil

From Rep. Michelle Bachmann in the WSJ on the Drill Responsibly in Leased Lands (DRILL) Act...

The bill would have mandated that leasing be done in an undefined, "environmentally responsible" way. We know from experience that such ambiguous language leads to lawsuits and delays....currently there is no production in the National Petroleum Reserve because of ongoing litigation.

nice maneuver!

would have mandated that they be built in an "environmentally responsible manner" using labor agreements that earmarked all the work for labor union members...

of course, we all know that placating unions is important for energy policy.

Then, Bachmann turns to some helpful comparisons of the National Petroleum Reserve and ANWR. NPR has an estimated 10.6 billion barrels, but spread over 23 million acres-- compared to an estimated 10.4 billion barrels in ANWR on merely 2,000 acres. The National Petroleum Reserve is 250 miles from the current pipeline infrastructure; ANWR is only 75 miles away.