Romney's Energy Plan Plays to Decades Long Argument About States Management of Federal Lands

The New York Times has a good story on the impact of Romney's energy plan which gives states' control over federal lands within their state border.  “I’m going to change the regulatory and permitting process,” Mr. Romney said Thursday at a rally in Hobbs, N.M, where companies are eager to begin drilling on millions of acres of federal lands. “Sometimes I have the impression that the whole regulatory attitude of the administration is trying to stop oil and gas and coal — that they don’t want those sources, that instead they want to get those things so expensive and so rare that wind and solar become highly cost-effective and efficient.”  This rhetoric is good fodder for the establishment energy community of coal, oil and gas.  Historically, giving states control over their energy resources on federal lands has been a sticking point - especially in states with huge energy resources.  The policy dates back over a century to President Theodore Roosevelt who set aside federal lands to preserve wildlife.   Environmentalist are vehemently opposed to this proposal because of the premise that federal lands belong to the American public and the fragility of national wildlife.

Jay Carney  White House Press Secretary, was somewhat circumspect yesterday when he answered a question on the Keystone XL Pipeline.  "The Keystone pipeline is a - we haven't rejected anything," Carney said. "It's a process that's underway at the State Department that was delayed for two reasons: One, because of concern by folks in Nebraska, including a Republican governor, about the original proposed route, and then because of Congress's - the House Republicans' insistence on including it as part of the payroll tax cut extension."  Sounds like the Administration, who originally delayed Keystone in January 2012 is rethinking or retweaking their position.