Delay isn't the only rockstar from Texas in D.C. - Texas is actually chock full of amazing Congressmen. Take Joe Barton for example. As chair of the Energy & Commerce Committee, he is using the hurricanes to introduce new legislation that would weaken environmental regulation on refineries while opening up areas to drilling. A couple problems? These suggestions were shot down already by Congress, remember that huge energy bill a little ways back? None of this stuff made it in to the bill. But now he supposedly has the votes to get it out of committee.
From the AAS:
"The Barton measure included easing air pollution control rules on refineries, setting shorter deadlines for issuing refinery permits and a government-funded "risk insurance" program to shield companies against lengthy regulatory delays in refinery construction. And it would give the federal government greater say in siting refineries and pipelines.
A companion measure, being put together by the House Resources Committee, called for opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska to oil development and would clear the way for states to allow oil or gas drilling in their coastal waters, including areas under a federal drilling ban. States would get half of the revenue from new lease sales."
My favorite quote? "We cannot stop hurricanes but we can mitigate some of the adverse impacts." Yeah, this coming from one of the 11 guys who voted against the huge aid package for Katrina victims.
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