‘ ‘ ‘ For the past 30 years, both Democrats and Republicans have been adamant in their support… ‘ ‘ ‘ For the past 30 years, both Democrats and Republicans have been adamant in their support of American energy independence. Accordingly, it is no coincidence that in the 2008 presidential election, both Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. John McCain have been more than forthright in their plans to make the United States a more energy-independent nation. Obama and McCain share very similar energy plans. In each of their respective energy polices, both would dramatically reduce carbon emissions, increase the use of clean coal technology, investigate and increase the usage of alternative energy sources ‘mdash; specifically, solar and wind power and expand the use of nuclear energy. Moreover, both candidates have supported the hot button and highly controversial issue of offshore drilling. ‘ ‘ ‘ Although the development of offshore drilling poses benefits for Americans by effectively reducing America’s dependence on volatile, African and Middle Eastern nations for oil, offshore drilling should not be paramount to the expansion of alternative energy sources in solving the energy crisis. Moreover, any steps taken in the development of an offshore drilling program must involve rational fiscal thought, and they must have regard for the environmental hazards. ‘ ‘ ‘ McCain has stated throughout his campaign that he would allow states to decide independently whether to allow drilling off their coastlines. By removing federal oversight over the development of offshore drilling programs, McCain would allow for the opportunity to drill off the Atlantic, Pacific and Gulf Coasts. In addition to the significant environmental hazards that offshore drilling poses ‘mdash; specifically seen in oil spills ‘mdash; the development of offshore drilling programs off the coasts of states like Florida, Louisiana and California poses significant threats for the residents of those states. ‘ ‘ ‘ According to USAToday, Mark Davis, a professor at Tulane University, said that the ‘10,000 miles of canals dug by the oil and gas companies ‘hellip; have contributed to coastal erosion’ of the Gulf Coast. Consequently, with a largely diminished coastline, one of the most vital barriers against hurricanes and tropical storms was removed, effectively amplifying the effects of Hurricane Katrina and other devastating storms. ‘ ‘ ‘ Despite improved technologies on oilrigs designed specifically to reduce the threat of spills, offshore drilling nevertheless poses substantial threats to the surrounding environment. The act of drilling alone still presents the risk for chemicals, such as mercury and lead, as well as pollutants to be discharged back into the ocean. ‘ ‘ ‘ In addition to the environmental hazards of offshore drilling ‘mdash; an issue that should undoubtedly bear great weight on the development of any offshore drilling program ‘mdash; the idea of relying significantly on domestic, offshore oil reserves for solving America’s energy crisis is not feasible. Rather, it should be treated as a part of a comprehensive effort to develop alternative, independent energy sources, if not only for the sake of creating thousands of new, green-collar American jobs, but for the fact that extensive offshore drilling programs are not necessarily economically sound. ‘ ‘ ‘ Although any effort to create exclusively American sources of oil refining would diminish the United States’ dependence on foreign nations for oil, the amount of oil that could be refined by 2030 would prove to be insignificant in lowering the price of oil and gas. Additionally, the exploration of potential areas for drilling and the actual construction of refineries could incur costs that could drastically outweigh the ‘profits’ for years to come. ‘ ‘ ‘ There is no question that oil will continue to fuel society and the global economy for the foreseeable future. Despite the environmental hazards of offshore drilling and the questions of how much oil could be produced, offshore drilling is a necessary component of a comprehensive effort to overhaul the American energy supply. ‘ ‘ ‘ No longer can the American people continue to depend almost entirely on unstable foreign countries to supply our nation’s energy. Yet for the United States to become more energy independent, investing in efficient, alternative sources of energy should be critical so that one day the United States can significantly decrease its dependency on oil entirely. ‘ ‘ ‘ The issue of offshore drilling could be seen as a compromise for most liberals, myself included. Although the environmental effects that offshore drilling poses are life-threatening and incredibly dangerous, offshore drilling ‘mdash; regardless of the degree and level of implementation ‘mdash; is a significant step for the United States in becoming a more energy independent nation. E-mail Shane at [email protected].