The contentious offshore drilling issue in the US is moving on apace, with the House of Representatives passing legislation allowing drilling within 80 km of a coastline with state permission.

No state permission? No problem. Just stay another 80 km out and you’re good to go. While 189 opposed the bill, 236 said ‘drill baby, drill’.

“We are opening up to 400 million acres off the Atlantic and Pacific coasts to drilling and expanding the availability of oil by at least 2 billion barrels,” say Democrat Nick J. Rahall II (NY Times). “And we have done so in a balanced, reasonable and responsible manner.”

Republicans though are crying foul, with House Minority Leader John Boehner calling the measure “nothing more than hoax on the American people” (SF Chronicle). Their main objections are that states won’t profit from drilling and you still can’t come in closer than 80 km.

The Houston Chronicle is one of many pointing out that the bill is a bit of a U-turn by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who has been dead against offshore drilling in the past. But Pelosi heralded her shift by saying “It is time for an oil change in America” and anyone who can pun like that should be encouraged to turn as much as possible.