House To Vote On Bill That Would Impose $5,000 Fee For Protesting Drilling Projects

[G_j]

http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2013/11/18/2962431/house-vote-protesting-drilling-projects/

BY EMILY ATKIN ON NOVEMBER 18, 2013 AT 3:05 PM

The House is likely to vote on a number of GOP bills this week related to the oil and gas industry, arguably the most sweeping of which is the Federal Lands Jobs and Energy Security Act.

The bill, introduced by Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-CO), is broad legislation designed to make it much easier for oil and gas companies to obtain permission to drill on public lands. If signed into law, the legislation would automatically approve onshore drilling permits if the U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) failed to act on them in 60 days.

If an individual does not like a proposed drilling project and wanted to oppose it, he or she would have to pay a $5,000 fee to file an official protest.

In addition, Lamborn’s proposed bill would direct the DOI to begin commercial leasing for the development of oil shale, a controversial type of production that has been largely banned by the United States since President Herbert Hoover prohibited the leasing of federal lands for oil shale. Oil shale — which should not be confused with the more common “shale oil” — is a type of rock that needs to be heated to nearly 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit to produce crude oil, which then has to be refined.

..more..

[avebury]

1. I would imagine that such a bill would be a clear violation of

the First Amendment Right to Free Speech and therefore unconstitutional.

[KamaAina]

7. No, not protesting by activists

the fee is to file an official protest with the feds.

[zipplewrath]

9. Petition

There is a constitutional right, which predates the Bill of Rights, for citizens to be able to petition their government. $5k to do so might actually even be a problem for this right leaning court.

[avebury]

11. Freedom of speech may be written or oral so I still say that such

a fee would be unconstitutional and taking this country down a slippery slope we don't want to go down.

[Veilex]

24. A 5k fee for "registration" is akin to a poll tax.

If it isn't illegal, it is certainly unethical and should be made illegal.

[freshwest]

26. Easily. This is fascism on steroids.

[IrishAyes]

33. The GOP in a nutshell. Where they belong.

[awoke_in_2003]

51. And how many rights...

does the Patriot Act violate?

[Scuba]

2. And the curtain is pulled back ...

“The illusion of freedom will continue as long as it's profitable to continue the illusion. At the point where the illusion becomes too expensive to maintain, they will just take down the scenery, they will pull back the curtains, they will move the tables and chairs out of the way and you will see the brick wall at the back of the theater.” ~ Frank Zappa

[G_j]

3. perfect quote

first they take the public land then fine you for protesting it... the curtain is gone

[Cha]

4. K&R

[freshwest]

27. The Koch brothers stand to double or treble their net worth with Keystone, and other projects. The

GOP is being made very hansomely to dismantle the Constitution the baggers say they are protecting.

[Cha]

28. True. And, this is our

Nightmare that we have consistantly battle.

[Bandit]

5. What is it about Freedom the GOP hates so darn much?

I don't think there is anything truly American the GOP supports.

[Jefferson23]

6. How clever, hey you..shut up unless you have 5 grand to blow. n/t

K&R

[2naSalit]

8. K&R

[G_j]

10. what may be the most disturbing about this

is the use of OUR land to develop oil shale..

[airplaneman]

19. How about a 60% tax on profits derived from public land?

[G_j]

41. not for sale

it belongs to our grand children..

[airplaneman]

45. Actually I'm OK with that.

Public assets belong to us and I do not want to sell them off or let others make money at our expense. The Republican meme privatize everything scares the hell out of me.
-Airplane

[ReRe]

12. What will the Democrats do?

If it passes the house, will it pass the Senate? I don't know if I understand it. Does it mean protesters will each, individually, be fined $5,000 for protesting?

[woo me with science]

13. Every day there is a new one.

Every single day.

True fascism
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024050204

[G_j]

15. correct

and I heard there are more oil related bills coming also.

[KoKo]

55. Yep...it's getting as bad as the Bush Years and some days worse.

Get up in the Morning and another CRAZY Fascist type is raving about something. And, not just here...look at Great Britain and Canada.

[SoLeftIAmRight]

14. MONEY is Speech

I got the memo.

[Samantha]

52. You took the words right off my keyboard

I was headed to the bottom of the thread to post this. Great minds ....

Sam

[Enthusiast]

16. This is unconstitutional.

But that no longer matters.

[bluesbassman]

17. The $5k fee is BS, but this part is pretty sneaky:

If signed into law, the legislation would automatically approve onshore drilling permits if the U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) failed to act on them in 60 days.

So I can see how this will work; the oil companies will bombard the DOI with a bunch of spurious applications until the system is overloaded, then sneak in the ones they actually want and figure that there won't be enough resources to get to them and voila!, permit by default!

[G_j]

20. yep, they are not as dumb as they seem

especially when the oil companies are writing the bills for them..

[truedelphi]

48. Gosh, I hope to hell this will not pass. n/t

[ashling]

18. Its a good thing they could get this in (sarcasm)

but since they don't have that pesky immigration thing to worry about, and "jobs, jobs, jobs" is so last summer, and of course, no need to worry about the budget.
thank goodness the adults are in charge!

[Spitfire of ATJ]

21. Torches and pitchforks are cheaper.

[IrishAyes]

34. Where did I leave mine, I wonder????

[Spitfire of ATJ]

36. Probably at the windmill.

[IrishAyes]

37. Yeah, I have been known to go a'tiltin', that's true.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

38. ...

[IrishAyes]

39. That's probably how I'll end up.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

43. Shoulda been Dubya.

[IrishAyes]

44. It was a great picture, though; I copied it to my hard drive gallery.

[Solly Mack]

22. K&R

[gtar100]

23. There are those buzz words - jobs and security. Way to go, think tanks!

How awesome you are at "shifting the public perception" of your obvious attempt at gaming the system in your favor. You are so clever!


Assholes!
(that's not sarcasm)

[red dog 1]

25. K&R....Thanks for posting

Although Boner will probably have enough tea baggers to pass this in the House;
it will be DOA in the Senate.

[moondust]

29. How long would an evironmental impact study take?

Perhaps 61 days?

[marmar]

30. Criminalzing dissent.......

...... The fascism is coming fast and furious right now.

[Historic NY]

31. Apparently we have no freedom to dissent.

we have to pay a fee to do so.

[Turbineguy]

32. The GOP would sell the Grand Canyon.

Or anything else.

[Laelth]

35. k&r for exposure. n/t

-Laelth

[WillyT]

40. K & R !!!

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

42. Another bill that will go nowhere in the Senate

Least productive House ever.

[woo me with science]

46. kick

[lonestarnot]

47. Why is this Constitutional?

Oh yeah it just a "god damned piece of paper." GWB

[JimboBillyBubbaBob]

49. How about a $5000.00...

dick tax on Rep. Lamborn? There should be a cost to being a dick.

[supernova]

50. It would seem that the GOP considers the constitution just a nice idea since this would not only

marginalize those without $5K to shuck out to have their voice heard, but it is taxation without representation.

[davidpdx]

53. Since when did the US adopt Chinese policy?

[KoKo]

54. Sigh...I guess this will go to the Supreme Court and they will refuse to hear it...

or give it the OK!

There's something in the water these crazies drink.