Unfortunately, I think that our courntry is going to need to sell and lease many of its public lands and waters for energy exploration.  With government spending through the roof and tax receipts down as people lose their jobs and corporate profits erode, we really need to be at least considering bringing in at least some revenue from different sources.  And oil and gas exploration puts some people to work at least-- and goodness knows we need jobs, and private sector jobs, not just "make work" jobs.  And lands can and do heal from oil and gas exploration-- eventually-- and lands can still be enjoyed even if there is some evidence of drilling activity around.  I'd rather see a little more oil and gas drilling rather than have them blowing off mountaintops for coal removal in the Appalachians.

We are going to have to make many tough decisions, and sometimes the best choice is not going to seem like a very good choice.  But if the country goes broke, the choices get much worse, and the damage to the environment will be much worse also.  So I believe that the priority now has to be to shore up our economy first.  A strong economy will naturally afford us better opportunities to protect the environment.

Don't get me wrong-- it makes me mad that we are to the point where we have to make these choices.  Our government has been a complete failure for the past 10 years at least.  I don't think it had to be this way.