INTERIOR/RYAN ZINKE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Trump administration wants to open up nearly all the country’s offshore areas for oil drilling, leasing areas off places like Florida and California for the first time in decades, and reversing an Obama-era policy.
Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke announced Thursday [1-4-18] that his department is planning the largest number of oil-lease sales in U.S. history starting next year. It would open up 90% of offshore land for drilling as part of a five-year plan. It reverses an Obama-era plan that would have kept only 6% of the same acres available for drilling…
While the plan is likely to please the oil industry and its supporters who want more access to domestic oil lands, it is already meeting opposition even from Republicans. Florida Gov. Rick Scott said Thursday he opposes opening drilling off Florida, and he has support from environmental groups and the tourism industry.”
-Tim Puko, “Trump Administration Proposes Massive Expansion of Oil Drilling,” The Wall Street Journal online, Jan. 4, 2018 01:33pm