"A historic environmental protection bill is in danger after a massive oil spill put a new focus on the perils of offshore drilling, a feature that was supposed to win wider support for the legislation.

The bill, supported by President Barack Obama, calls for new offshore drilling – a concession by environmentalists. But with the tragedy off the Gulf Coast growing daily, even conservationists who have waited a decade for the legislation are now saying it will fail if offshore drilling remains in the bill.

'When you're trying to resurrect a climate bill that's face-down in the mud and you want to bring it back to life and get it breathing again, I don't think you can have offshore drilling against the backdrop of what's transpiring in the Louisiana wetlands,' said Richard Charter, energy adviser to Defenders of Wildlife. 'I think it's flat-lined.'"

Matthew Daly and Noaki Schwartz report for Huffington Post May 1, 2010.
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See Also:

"Scenarios: Impact Of Oil Spill On Climate Bill" (Reuters) [3]

"Oil Spill Pressures White House On Drilling, Climate" (Reuters) [4]