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[Headlines] (HL-정치/사회/경제) US Proposes Opening Most Coastal Waters for Oil Drilling
최고관리자  |  18-01-11 23:45

The United States has announced plans to open much of the country’s coastal waters to oil and gas drilling. The Interior Department released the five-year plan last week. It is much more expansive than one suggested by President Donald Trump in April of last year. The Interior Department proposed to publicly sell 47 possible drilling rights in much of the U.S. continental shelf. That is a large increase from the 11 lease sales during the presidency of Barack Obama. The draft of the plan would permit the sale of drilling leases in 25 of 26 offshore planning areas. The one area identified as off-limits is the waters near Alaska’s far-western Aleutian Islands. The area was given special protection by former President George W. Bush. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke told reporters last week that the United States is, in his words, “going to become the strongest energy superpower this world has ever known.” Zinke also said that he wants to grow the country’s offshore energy industry instead of having to depend on foreign energy resources. “We will produce enough energy to meet our needs at home, and we will export enough energy to lead the world," he said. 
* coastal waters = 연안 해역/ oil and gas drilling = 석유 및 가스 시추업/ expansive = 포괄적인, 광범위한/ publicly = 공개적으로; 공적으로; 정부에 의해/ drilling rights = 채유권(採油權)/ continental shelf = 대륙붕/ draft = (아직 완성본이 아닌) 원고, 초안/ offshore = 앞바다의, 연안의/ off-limits = 출입금지의; 논의 금지의/ superpower = 초강대국(미국 같은 군사적・경제적 대국)

The Interior Department’s broad proposal is meant to begin with a 60-day public comment period. The Interior Department is responsible for setting the start date of the comment period. Zinke said in a press release that “not all areas are appropriate for offshore drilling, and we will take that into consideration in the coming weeks.” Some critics of the plan have already expressed their feelings. The opponents include environmental groups and governors from coastal states. When the plan was first released, waters off Florida’s coastline were included. However, Zinke announced on Tuesday that he is now banning oil and gas drilling off the Florida coast. In a statement, Zinke said, “I support the governor’s position that Florida is unique and its coasts are heavily reliant on tourism as an economic driver.” The Interior Secretary admitted that Florida Governor Rick Scott pressured him to amend his decision. The Defense Department has also expressed concerns about drilling in the eastern Gulf of Mexico, where the U.S. Navy performs exercises. 
* public comment period = 공개적 의견 수령 기간/ press release = (기관・정당・정부 부처의) 대언론 공식 발표[성명]/ appropriate (for/to sth) = (~에) 적절한/ take sth into consideration = ~을 고려[참작]하다/ reliant on ~ = ~에 의존[의지]하는/ economic driver = 경제적 추진 요인[동인動因]/ amend = (법 등을) 개정[수정]하다