Administration finds a new way to tie up resource development and jobs

This week, the United States Department of Agriculture announced they would delay the auction of mineral leases in Wayne National Forest (WNF) in deference to environmental interests.  This move restricts long-planned access to the Ohio Valley to make time for additional environmental studies. 

WNF Supervisor Anne Carey contends that the impacts of hydraulic fracturing operations on forested land could be significantly different than conventional oil & gas exploration – which was studied during the development of the 2006 Forest Plan – and will take up to six months to complete the study.  But hydraulic fracturing operations, though they can require more logging to accommodate slightly larger drilling pads than conventional operations, support multiple wells and associated additional production.  Moreover, WNF already has 1,300 oil and gas wells in operation.

So what’s the real reason for the holdup?  How many excuses can the Administration make to delay or suspend the exploration, production, or transport of fossil fuels?  How many new jobs is the Administration willing to sacrifice to appease environmental supporters?  While the economy continues to struggle and three million Americans remain without work, it seems that President Obama seems more worried about reelection than moving the country forward.