Update 8/20: It's still wrong and there's been no response to the email (we know someone from Beloit visited us). Some reference source. [end update]
We love the Beloit College Mindset list, but laughed at #57 of the Mindset list for the Class of 2012:
57. Off-shore oil drilling in the United States has always been prohibited.
This bullet point isn't correct. New leasing and drilling are taking place in those ares that are not under moratoria. It isn't "prohibited" in open areas.
We have sent the following email to the creator of the project and the school's publicist:
Dr .McBride and Mr Nief:
The mindset list includes a mistake: the point on off-shore drilling. The list states:
57. Off-shore oil drilling in the United States has always been prohibited."
This simply isn't true. Drilling is allowed in some offshore areas, most notably the Western Gulf of Mexico and the waters around Alaska. While many areas are under moratoria), the limits do not extend to all of America's offshore resources.
Please see the website for the Offshore Energy & Minerals Management (OEMM):
New leases were offered up this month in the Gulf of Mexico
Alaskan waters are also being leased--there was a lease sale earlier this year:
I hope that you are both honest enough to admit that this bullet point is inaccurate, since off-shore drilling is allowed in some areas (and off-shore areas are still being offered for new leases). It is most surely restricted, but not prohibited.
The point might be more accurately rephrased, "The moratoria on many off-shore areas in the United States have always been in effect."
What can we say? Davis Misinformation Syndrome has spread across the border to Wisconsin.
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