Adjacent State Veto Power
At Issue: House Democrats give states like New Jersey the authority to prevent states like Virginia from producing new American energy.
Washington,
Sep 18 -
“The Secretary may not conduct any … activity in any area …located within 100 miles from the … boundaries of an adjacent State, unless the adjacent State has enacted a law approving of the issuance of such leasing...” [Section 103, H.R. 6899]
The conspicuous absence of state revenue sharing language in the latest Democratic energy bill was far from accidental. Instead, by working hard to eliminate any incentive for coastal states to team up with the federal government to break our dependence on foreign oil, Democrats effectively ensured that no such development could or would ever take place.
But not only were Democrats careful to remove the mechanism needed to promote new American energy development offshore, they were careful to add in a “Plan B” provision designed to halt those activities in case they were ever able to compromise the first fire-wall and come close to happening.
The inclusion of the adjacent-state veto provision is the clearest indication yet of Democrats’ real intent on energy; namely, to prevent any new American energy from coming online for the benefit of struggling American families.
That’s because under H.R. 6899, anti-production states like New Jersey would have to pass specific legislation approving of new exploration before pro-production states like Virginia could petition the federal government for the right to ask for it.
And given some of the past pronouncements of New Jersey Democrats, there’s very little reason to believe the fine public servants in Trenton would allow their neighbors to the south to pursue access to new energy.
“If this Virginia plan goes forward, the president and his friends will be back next year to drill in another area, and it could be right off the beaches of Belmar. That's an unacceptable threat." -- Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., (2/11/06, Asbury Park Press)
“The drilling would occur less than 100 miles from the New Jersey coast - close enough for spills to affect New Jersey beaches - and could be the first step towards further drilling in the Atlantic.” (2/26/06, Menendez press release)
"An oil spill will not respect those (state) boundaries," Menendez said. "I'm extremely troubled and disappointed." (2/16/06, Gannett News Service)
Consider: All exploratory activities in federal waters along the Atlantic outer continental shelf would be cancelled in one fell swoop if states like New Jersey (adjacent to VA), South Carolina (adjacent to NC and GA), or Florida (adjacent to GA and AL) decide to black-ball it – irrespective of whether the rest of the eastern seaboard might be in favor.
Not what you’d expect from a bill purportedly written to “expand domestic drilling” and produce new energy for the American people? It may be time to adjust your expectations.
