Sens. Boxer, Graham Still See Prospects for Energy Legislation

Congressional efforts to enact energy legislation "might survive" the Gulf of Mexico oil-rig disaster that killed 11 workers and has caused environmental damage along the southeastern coastline, the Associated Press reported. Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., who chairs the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee and has been an opponent of offshore exploration, was quoted as saying that the spill "has definitely changed the equation but not necessarily in a negative way." Backers of more offshore drilling, she said, "understand they're going to need to work with us in making it safer. In some ways, it opens up that door."

The AP reported that there was significant political fallout, particularly for former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and ex-House Speaker Newt Gingrich. The conservatives, who were eyeing a possible 2012 presidential bid against President Obama, have promoted the "drill, baby, drill" mantra or the "drill here, drill now" refrain. The AP wrote that these phrases "suddenly don't seem so clever or wise."

Erich Pica, president of Friends of the Earth, was quoted as saying: "All the political winds are blowing in the direction of no additional oil drilling." The Gulf disaster, he said, "has given us a political-policy timeout."

The AP asked Sen. Lindsay Graham, R-S.C., the key Republican voice on the bipartisan team shaping energy legislation, how the political winds will blow. He said the Gulf spill does not necessarily rule out passage of a comprehensive energy bill this year, although he noted it's always difficult to round up 60 votes to overcome filibusters in the 100-member Senate.

Wrote the AP: "Praising Obama's approach to the oil spill, Graham said, 'We should be cautious, we should let this settle out, get this spill under control, find out what happened, but realize that America's energy dependency is a national security threat. Our choices all involve risk,' Graham said. The risk of having Middle East countries set oil prices for America, 'and this money getting into the wrong hands that we send overseas, to me, is much greater than the risks of domestic exploration for oil and gas'."