Gas Prices -- Help at last?

Probably a case of "too little -- too late" -- but finally a step in
the right direction! (This just in, from Yahoo News):

************************************************** ******
House narrowly approves bill to help US refineries
By Chris Baltimore

In a cliffhanger vote held open by Republican leaders until they won,
the U.S. House of Representatives passed by two votes on Friday a bill
clearing the way for U.S. oil refineries to expand.

The legislation, written by Republican Joe Barton of Texas, barely won
approval despite dropping a White House-backed provision that would
have gutted clean air rules to help refineries and coal-powered
utilities.

In the first major House vote since Texan Tom DeLay was forced to step
down as majority leader, Republicans won, 212-210, in a roll call that
ran more than 40 minutes, far beyond the allotted five minutes.

Democrats in the chamber chanted "shame, shame, shame" as the final
tally was announced.

When over two dozen Republicans initially voted no, DeLay, Barton,
House Speaker Dennis Hastert and new Majority Leader Roy Blunt circled
the chamber and cajoled the holdouts.

The palm-sweating vote switched from "yes" to "no" several times, but
Republican Rep. Mike Simpson (news, bio, voting record), the speaker
pro tempore, did not gavel the vote closed until it swung in the
Republicans' favor.

Several Democrats protested that the vote was being held open. "I am
informed that every member of Congress who is in town has voted,"
Democratic whip Rep. Steny Hoyer (news, bio, voting record) of Maryland
said at one point, when the tally was 210 yes, 214 no.

House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi also complained, saying the
proceedings were bringing "dishonor to the House."

The bill aims to add 2 million barrels per day of capacity by offering
abandoned military bases for refinery construction sites.

It also speeds up permits by giving the Energy Department more
authority over the process, and offer federal insurance to refiners in
case new projects are delayed.

The bill was prompted by hurricanes Rita and Katrina, which plowed
through the heart of the U.S. energy producing region and shut offshore
drilling rigs and refineries.

Its most controversial item would have deleted a portion of the Clean
Air Act known as "new source review" that requires costly new equipment
to cut emissions when refineries and coal-fired power plants are
expanded.

However, Barton was forced to drop that proposal from the bill late on
Thursday because of opposition from Democrats and moderate Republicans.
Although the plan to dismantle new source review was a White House
priority, the administration released a statement saying it still
supported the legislation.

"We look forward to working with Congress to improve the bill further
as it moves forward in the legislative process," the White House said.

No new U.S. refinery has been built since 1976 and dozens of plants
have been closed despite rising fuel consumption.

"We haven't built a new refinery in a generation. We need more," said
Rep. Fred Upton (news, bio, voting record), Michigan Republican.

Democrats say refiners are loath to build new facilities amid
record-high profits, while Republicans say permitting and environmental
requirements keep them from expanding.

Refiners are "making more money from refining less gasoline," said Rep.
Rick Boucher (news, bio, voting record), Virginia Democrat.

Rep. Edward Markey (news, bio, voting record), Massachusetts Democrat,
said refiners have engaged in a "systematic conspiracy" to idle
capacity, pointing to some 30 plants that were closed in recent years.

Democrats were unsuccessful in pushing an alternate bill that would
create spare refineries that the federal government could activate
during gasoline shortages.

The House Rules Committee blocked a bipartisan plan by Markey and
Sherwood Boehlert of New York to require an 8-mile-per-gallon rise in
vehicle mileage to curb gasoline demand.

Consumer groups said the legislation would do little to help American
households facing near-record fuel prices.

"Its approach leaves the decision to increase refining capacity in the
hands of an industry that has deliberately taken advantage of tight
supplies in recent years," said Mark Cooper of the Consumer Federation
of America.

Other provisions in the bill include:

* Expanding Northeast Heating Oil Reserve to 5 million barrels, from
current 2 million barrels;

* Limiting anti-pollution gasoline blends to six, from the current 17;

* Requiring FTC to prepare a report on the price of gasoline and
heating oil on the New York Mercantile Exchange;

* Waives federal, state and local fuel additive requirements after a
natural disaster that disrupts supplies;

* Gives Federal Energy Regulatory Commission the power to monitor
offshore gas gathering lines to prevent anti-competitive practices.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
ups.com...
[article with zero aviation content snipped]

You forgot to put "OT:" in your subject line.

"Peter Duniho" wrote:
"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
ups.com...
[article with zero aviation content snipped]

You forgot to put "OT:" in your subject line.

Quite right - as any good airman knows, aircraft are powered by wishing
really really hard, not gasoline!

So gasoline has nothing to do with aviation, and anything you read
otherwise are lies.

Remember - don't fill your tanks with gas - fill them with wishes! Saves
money and you get to make engine noises like you did when you were a kid.

Pesky Irritant wrote:
"Peter Duniho" wrote:

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
roups.com...

[article with zero aviation content snipped]

You forgot to put "OT:" in your subject line.


Quite right - as any good airman knows, aircraft are powered by wishing
really really hard, not gasoline!

So gasoline has nothing to do with aviation, and anything you read
otherwise are lies.

Remember - don't fill your tanks with gas - fill them with wishes! Saves
money and you get to make engine noises like you did when you were a kid.

ROTFLMAO

Remember - don't fill your tanks with gas - fill them with wishes! Saves
money and you get to make engine noises like you did when you were a kid.

People with wishes and no gas manage to fly all the time. People with
gas but no wishes should probably fly away.

Jose
--
Get high on gasoline: fly an airplane.
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

"Pesky Irritant" wrote in message
...
Quite right - as any good airman knows, aircraft are powered by wishing
really really hard, not gasoline!

So gasoline has nothing to do with aviation, and anything you read
otherwise are lies.

The cost of gasoline affects any number of things. It does not mean that
the cost of gasoline is relevant in any number of newsgroups, especially
when the topic isn't even directly related to *aviation* gas.

That said, I did find your post quite funny...good job!

It's still all off-topic.

Pete

"Peter Duniho" wrote in message ...
"Jay Honeck" wrote in message ups.com...
[article with zero aviation content snipped]

You forgot to put "OT:" in your subject line.


Agreed, OT, and just another win for BIG OIL. I hope the senate has a better handle on what subsidies look like and what
profits are for...

That said, I did find your post quite funny...good job!

Just to keep things pure, next time I'll make the subject "AVgas Prices --
Help at Last?"
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Agreed, OT, and just another win for BIG OIL. I hope the senate has a
better handle on what subsidies look like and what profits are for...

Did you READ the article? There hasn't been a new refinery built in the
U.S. since I was a senior in high school -- 29 years ago!

Gee, don't you think that *maybe* we might have gone a wee bit too far with
gubmint regulations?
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

I watched a show on the Discover Channel, how the aircraft carriers (built a
long time ago) cruise for 24 yrs. before refueling and "us" in
cars/airplanes go...6+ hours... Go figure

Pat Thronson
Babb, MT


"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:NpE1f.408067$_o.120015@attbi_s71...
Agreed, OT, and just another win for BIG OIL. I hope the senate has a
better handle on what subsidies look like and what profits are for...

Did you READ the article? There hasn't been a new refinery built in the
U.S. since I was a senior in high school -- 29 years ago!

Gee, don't you think that *maybe* we might have gone a wee bit too far
with gubmint regulations?
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"