The Institute for Energy Research comments on the Obama administration’s recent decision to withdraw from R&D consideration areas rich in oil shale:

“Earlier this week, Secretary Salazar suggested America’s massive and homegrown reserves of oil shale held ‘great potential.’ Unfortunately, the Interior Department’s decision today may help ensure that potential never becomes reality — in the process, locking-away an American energy resource larger than the total reserves of the entire Middle East.”
“At a time of great economic uncertainty, with millions of Americans out of work and state budgets stretched beyond their breaking point, responsible development of America’s abundant shale resources could be a way out of our current condition, and a way back to a better one. The Interior Department’s announcement today effectively forecloses that opportunity.”

So, which is it gonna be? Lessen our dependence on foreign energy, or refuse to tap our nation’s plentiful natural resources? You can’t have it both ways.