Rogers Blocks Bi-Partisan Bill to Permanently Ban Great Lakes Oil & Gas Drilling
Lansing Congressman is top Michigan recipient of oil & gas industry contributions
Lansing, Michigan – Under a guise of protecting the Great Lakes, Congressman Mike Rogers (R-Lansing) exposed the Lakes to new risks by blocking a bi-partisan bill to permanently ban oil and gas drilling in and on the Lakes. Because of Rogers, the Energy Policy Act – recently passed by the U.S. House – will not extend the moratorium past 2007 and will instead leave drilling decisions to the whims of states.
Environmental organizations noted that Rogers received $28,300 for his 2004 reelection from the oil and gas industry, more than any other Michigan Congressperson (source: Center for Responsible Politics, http://www.opensecrets.org).
“We owe it to our children to take oil and gas drilling in the Great Lakes off the table forever, and Mike Rogers’ refusal to do that is very disturbing. Apparently, Congressman Rogers is more concerned about his slick dealings with the oil and gas industry than he is about the threat of oil slicks on Michigan’s beaches,” said Mike Shriberg, PIRGIM’s Great Lakes Advocate.
In an e-mail to constituents, Rogers said he opposed the bill because he wanted to keep Washington from “controlling” the Great Lakes. He recently introduced a House Resolution asserting states control over the Great Lakes. But his action, which conflicts with his support of federal restoration funding for the Great Lakes, instead leaves open the possibility of Washington trumping state laws that bar or restrict drilling. “A federal ban on oil and gas drilling would no more ‘control’ the Great Lakes than the Clean Water Act controls them. It would actually protect them. We need both state and national policies of protection for the Great Lakes," said Cyndi Roper, Clean Water Action’s Great Lakes Policy Director.
Environmental impacts from oil and gas drilling include releases of poisonous gasses, widespread use of toxic chemicals, massive landscape alterations and the ever-present dangers of spills, leaks and other accidents. Drilling impacts recreation at the Lakes by polluting the water and destroying the natural views. Because of these and other issues, polling reveals strong public opposition to Great Lakes drilling. “Michiganders speak with one voice on this issue: The Great Lakes need permanent protection from oil and gas drilling,” said Anne Woiwode, Director of Sierra Club’s Mackinac Chapter. “Michigan’s families want to enjoy clean and pure Great Lakes. Yet, Representative Rogers has led the charge to expose the Great Lakes and Michigan’s residents to the leaks, spills, habitat degradation and eyesores that go hand-in-hand with drilling.”
Leaving oil and gas drilling to states is notoriously unpredictable. Former Governor Engler was a strong supporter of drilling and refused to sign the 2001 Michigan law which bans new oil and gas drilling under Michigan’s Great Lakes. An Executive Order banning new drilling in Lake Erie in Ohio is set to expire in 2006. Without federal protection, other states could begin new drilling under Lake Michigan, Erie or Superior (drilling is already allowed in Canada) at any time. Michigan’s families, natural resources and economy would suffer most from new drilling because we have over 2000 miles of Great Lakes shoreline and are the most dependent state on the Lakes.