Weaken

The 2011 Atlantic hurricane season during its first nine weeks has thrown little tropical activity at the U.S. mainland and energy interests in the Gulf of Mexico, but it has produced five named storms, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) expects as many as 14 more named storms to form this year.

North America’s abundant natural gas resources have begun to weaken Russia’s influence on Europe’s energy supplies and could counter Iran’s influence as an energy supplier, according to research by the Baker Institute Energy Forum at Rice University.

North America’s abundant natural gas resources have begun to weaken Russia’s influence on Europe’s energy supplies and could counter Iran’s influence as an energy supplier, according to research by the Baker Institute Energy Forum at Rice University.

Fending off Democratic attempts to weaken pro-oil and natural gas bills, the Republican-led House Natural Resources Committee last Wednesday voted out legislation that would end the de facto moratorium in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM), open up the East Coast to leasing and set a strict time line for the secretary of the Department of Interior to act on permits to drill in the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).

Fending off Democratic attempts to weaken pro-oil and natural gas bills, the Republican-led House Natural Resources Committee Wednesday was on track to vote out legislation that would end the de facto moratorium in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM), open up the East Coast to leasing and set a strict time line for the secretary of the Department of Interior to act on permits to drill in the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).

The governors Washington, Oregon and California again wrote to President Bush Monday, opposing any efforts in the federal government to weaken offshore oil/gas drilling bans. Early last month, Govs. Christine Gregoire (WA), Theodore Kulongoski (OR) and Arnold Schwarzenegger (CA) announced a partnership they said was forged to protect the Pacific Coast.

As Tropical Storm Chris continued to weaken just north of Puerto Rico (see related story), the 2006 Atlantic hurricane season was dealt an additional blow Thursday morning as respected hurricane forecasters William Gray and Philip Klotzbach of the Colorado State University (CSU) hurricane forecast team issued a report reducing the number of storms expected in the basin this season.

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger last week urged Congress not to “weaken federal protections against offshore oil drilling” in the ongoing consideration of the Deep Ocean Energy Resources Act. Schwarzenegger sent letters to Senate members on the House passage of the bill, along with a copy to Rep. Richard Pombo (R-CA), a chief proponent of the measure.

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger Wednesday urged Congress not to “weaken federal protections against offshore oil drilling” in the ongoing consideration of the Deep Ocean Energy Resources Act. Schwarzenegger sent letters to Senate members on the House passage of the deep ocean act, along with a copy to Rep. Richard Pombo (R-CA), a chief proponent of the measure.