Today in Biofuels Opinion: “Opening offshore areas to increase oil production for the energy- price-shocked U.S. populace turns out to be incredibly complex.”

Anthony Cordesman, Center for Strategic and International Studies and former national security assistant to John McCain. “Bush says he’ll drop the executive order if Congress first lifts its 26-year-old ban. But even if lawmakers acted tomorrow, it would be years before the infrastructure could be put in place to support additional drilling … What sounds so simple in theory–opening offshore areas to increase oil production for the energy- price-shocked U.S. populace–turns out to be incredibly complex. And to top it all off, the plan can’t resolve the supply and demand problem that is at the core of the run-up in fuel prices.”

Rolf E. Westgard of St. Paul, member of the Geological Society of America and associate chairman of the Crow Wing County DFL: “Remember Malthus, the man whose ideas have been the inspiration since 1798 for anyone concerned about overpopulation and the scarcity of food and other natural resources? The Wall Street Journal mocked both England’s Prince Charles and Al Gore as “Prince Malthus” and “Senator Malthus” for their concerns about population growth, the environment, and resource scarcity. Technology and hydrocarbons had apparently sidelined the dismal science. But in the 21st Century, the fossil fuel supply is tightening, and it is no longer cheap.But world population continues its yearly addition of 70 million. Dealing with resource scarcity will require both conservation and major lifestyle changes, enforced by strong measures such as unpopular carbon taxes.