If only my backyard was bigger...
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As sure as the sun comes up, each year at the start of the travel season for most Americans, we see rising gas prices blamed on "a refinery fire somewhere", or some other similar sad refrain. You know, it's like the stories we hear at the beginning of the heating season-- "Due to colder than expected temperatures, and the hurricane, supplies are low and prices will rise..." Former NH state Sen Bob Boyce submits the following:
The Democrats have got it wrong – as usual!
The Democrat dominated US House, searching for a snake in the petroleum woodpile have gone after the first snake they saw while ignoring the real menaces that are still there. They have pushed through a bill allowing for lawsuits against OPEC. Wow, they really care about high gas prices so much that they are willing to go after OPEC..But the problem of high gas prices has little to do with OPEC and its quotas and much to do with NIMBY! Now NIMBY is not a cartel making billions of dollars so they don't want to sue them. In fact, NIMBY has more lawyers than Congress. And NIMBY is always in court with their own suits. They sue everyone over everything and they have succeeded in driving up gas prices..Of course NIMBY is an attitude more than an organization. Not In My Back Yard (NIMBY) has prevented building or expanding oil refineries in this country for so long that the few existing refineries can not keep up with the demand. NIMBY has also kept oil from being produced off the coast of Florida, the coast of California and in the Alaskan Wildlife refuge. We can't refine it, we can't drill for it – the cost goes up..
Add in the continued interference in the petroleum business by the EPA and states requiring various boutique gas formulas that require more crude oil, more energy and more complex refining to create and you have a gas price crisis.
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Suing OPEC will not result in lower gas prices – in fact it will undoubtedly have the opposite effect – and then only lawyers will be buying gas for their Hummers.
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If Congress really wanted to effect the price of gas they would pass legislation easing restrictions on the construction and expansion of refineries and restrict the ability of NIMBY to sue the refiners. But we know that their only real desire is to pass a bill that President Bush is forced to veto so they can claim it is his fault.
Sen. Rob Boyce
Alton Bay, NH
