Energy Industry's Hopes for the Lame Duck Session

With the new Democratic majority in Congress, gas company officials are becoming increasingly nervous about the passing of a bill opening the seas off the Atlantic and Pacific coasts to oil and gas drilling. They had hoped the Republican's would use their majority to pass a widespread bill, but are now declaring the need for Republicans to speed through a previously ignored bill that would produce oil for only two months, and heating gas for only fifteen years. Though we will have to wait and see if this bill passes before the Democrats come to power in January, the energy industry will have to hold off on the expansive off coast drilling they had expected until their Republican supporters return to power.

For more details on the bill, see The New York Times.