181 Is Done

The offshore drilling legislation has gotten out of committee.

The U.S. Senate Energy Committee voted on Wednesday to open nearly 3 million acres of federal waters in the eastern Gulf of Mexico to energy exploration development, bringing the politically contentious issue closer to reality.

The proposal to open to development 2.9 million acres in the Outer Continental Shelf 100 miles off Florida passed 16-5, with one senator voting "present."

The bill backed by Republican Pete Domenici, chairman of the panel, and Sen. Jeff Bingaman, its top Democrat, aims to expand access to natural gas in the area often referred to as "Lease Sale 181".

Now the Senators are fighting for the revenue that will be generated from 181. The vultures are fighting for the carcass.