The American Spectator

The Miami Herald headline writers show their anti-energy development bias (NIMBY!) with today’s headline, “Obama offshore drilling plan spares South Florida,” as though it had averted some kind of disaster:

South Florida’s coastline would not be affected under the plan. Previous federal studies have found little oil and gas there.

Obama, who wants Congress to act on climate change legislation, has sought to reach out to Republicans by signaling he is open to domestic energy exploration and steps to curb global warming. But a number of Republicans panned the proposal, saying it keeps more promising areas of oil and gas exploration, including California and Alaska, off limits.

“The President’s plan is flawed because it fails to open the Alaskan and Pacific coasts to drilling but allows oil rigs off the eastern Gulf of Mexico, threatening our natural resources and tourism-based economy,” said Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Sarasota.

Recent polls have suggested that Floridians may be wavering in their opposition to drilling.

The story is loaded with quotes from opponents. Meanwhile, Daniel Kish of the Institute for Energy Research writes today in the Washington Examiner that Obama’s plan opens no new territories for drilling:

The spin from his image-makers was clear - a major shift in policy was underway, which would open new areas on the Atlantic Coast to drilling. He would even allow drilling off of Virginia. But these areas were already open for drilling, following a national outcry in the summer of 2008 when the price of oil reached $150 per barrel.

President Bush and the Democratic Congress acted then to drop the decades-long embargo on U.S. oil and gas supplies, leaving only a small area in the eastern Gulf of Mexico off limits for energy production.

The only holdup since then to leasing U.S. waters has been the foot-dragging of his choice for Secretary of Interior, Ken Salazar.

Meanwhile, in other news brought to you by the Herald:

• South Florida was spared heavy rains and flooding that have plagued the Northeast
• South Florida was spared the terror inflicted by serial killer Rodney Alcala
• South Florida was spared an objective news reporting approach on energy by the Miami Herald.