I would much rather we didn't have to drill either, but as long as we drive trucks to hunt and fish in, and have an economy based on energy, right now we need Oil and gas. and, a lot of Oil and Gas companies are putting up lots of money to help mitiage wildlife impacts.
Americans are absolutely STUPID to put our national security - in teh hands of foreign nations, who hold us hostage controlling energy costs. In just one year, we seem to have forgotten $140 oil and $4.50 per gallon gas.
We should become energy independent ASAP, and that will require oil and gas, wind, solar, power, coal, conservation, and nuclear.
A lot of the oil and gas can drilling can be mitigated, and old, decadent, worhtless lands can be restored and made valuable for wildlife, and in teh Book Cliffs of Utah, where elk and deer herds, Bison and Turkeys are thriving, the critters are found feeing on reclaimed well pad sights, pipeline reseeds, etc.
Deer and elk live in neighboorhoods in the west. they can tolerate some energy exploratoin and some roads to. We might not like the roads, but the wildlife can adjust.
As much as i love wildlfie and wild lands, i have also done a lot with military kids, some who are pretty shot up, and workign with some parents whose sons don't come home. Without question, Oil in foreign countries is part of the current terrorist situation, and the future of the US economic security.
I'd take some wells, mitigat the best we can, keep America safe, economically strong, independent of foreign nations, and keep lots of 19 year olds home, hunting and fishing, not facing the horrors of war.
As well pointed out, it isn't a Bush Cheney or Clinton or Obama issue. Americans use a lot of energy.
Besides that, we need to drill lots of wells so Al Gore and the hollywood elite can feel good about using paper instead of plastic at the grocery store, then fly their private jets around the world on teh weekends, telling us all to conserve energy !!
Bush and Cheney are good guys. got to spend some time with them, shot sporting clays with Cheney. Kind of intersting standing next to the VP with a loaded gun in my hand.
Proud that Cheney got back into hunting after the accident, it happens out there.
yes, Bush did hunt elk in Utah the end of Sept.