Choose conservation over more drilling

In the last few weeks, The News Gazette has run several letters claiming that offshore drilling is the key to lowering gas prices. Not coincidentally, that same claim is John McCain's new position. It is not, however, consistent with the facts.

Offshore and Alaskan drilling will, according to the Department of Energy, produce a slight decrease in prices starting 10 or 20 years from now. The oil obtained would be a few percent of U.S. consumption, at best, while it lasted.