Chambliss says U.S. must drill its own oil

GAINESVILLE - Georgia's senior U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss told Gainesville business and government leaders Tuesday to expect higher fuel prices until America redevelops its own fuel resources.

That would include more Alaskan oil drilling; it might also include drilling off the shores of southern states, possibly including Georgia; that's why Chambliss said he supports an energy inventory of offshore oil and gas resources.

"We've been stopped from drilling in Alaska where they want to be allowed to drill," Chambliss said. "I would like to see an inventory done just to see what's out there."

"We don't know what's off the coast of any of our states; I don't know that any state ought to drill offshore but we ought to at least know what's there so we know what our options are."

Chambliss added that the U.S. gets 62 percent of its oil from unfriendly unstable nations and Americans have not begun to feel the impact of the price per barrel at $100.

He said China and India's demands are driving the price up along with American demand.

Chambliss sited nuclear power as the cheapest and best alternative to fuel power plants and noted that until America makes the decision to use its own resources, Americans should expect prices to go up.

CORPS OF ENGINEERS

Chambliss said the Corps of Engineers needs to make the right decision now on managing Lake Lanier; he said the Corps cannot make mistakes on managing the lake's water level.

"If they relax and say we've got more supply and we can release because of the additional rain fall we've had that's the worse decision they can make," Chambliss said.

Chambliss added that lake management is the center of a three fold solution to the lake's water supply; the lake also needs more rain and Georgia needs more reservoirs.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2008/1/205572