Offshore Drilling Ban, Moratorium Stays Put

Offshore drilling ban and moratorium stays put despite new rules that were put in place by the interior department to make offshore drilling safer. With the new rules comes a more aggressive regulatory stance, and so far no indication has been made over when the ban will be lifted. 


The moratorium was put into place in the wake of the BP oil spill, which is the worst environmental disaster that America has seen since the Exxon Valdez tragedy. Offshore drilling has been a very controversial issue.  It keeps oil affordable and keeps us from relying too much on foreign sources.  However, it poses a significant risk to the environment and ocean. 


Ken Salazar said "There will always be risks in offshore drilling. We will only lift the moratorium when I as secretary of the Interior am confident that we have significantly lessened those risks."


The ban will be lifted when offshore drilling rigs have a "gold standard" for safety for both the environment and the workers. 


What do you think of offshore drilling? Is it worth the risk? After the government makes the changes, will it pay off?