A ban on offshore drilling for oil has been lifted under legislation signed by President Bush, and that's good news for the head of the Wisconsin Petroleum Council.
Council director Erin Roth says it was the right thing to do in order to meet the nation's future energy needs. He says there's a growing demand, and high oil prices have contributed to some of our current economic problems.
Roth says this is a positive sign for the future. It also sends a clear message to OPEC nations that the U.S. is looking for resources on its own.
Roth says it was a political decision for majority Democrats to allow the ban to be lifted. The move comes after strong public outcry when gas topped four dollars a gallon over the summer.