1.  a) What is the Department of the Interior - what is its role?
b)  Why does the Interior Department implement the policies of the president who is in office?

2.  What plan has the Interior Department announced it will pursue regarding the planned development of federal land for energy?

3.  a) What is the Bureau of Land Management? How many employees does it have?  What is its annual budget? How much of the land in the U.S. is "public" land, controlled by the BLM?
b)  What reason did the Bureau of Land Management give for closing off over half of the federal land originally opened up for oil development?

4.  How does the Obama administration defend its choice to close off half of the land which was to be used for oil development?

5.  Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-Ky.), the chairman of House Energy and Commerce's subcommittee on Energy and Power, opposed the Obama administration's plan, saying: “This proposal will place further limitations on the exploration and development of our country’s natural resources and is yet another example of how this administration continues to stand in the way of North American energy independence."  
A spokesman for the American Petroleum Institute said Friday's news was a disappointing sign from the administration.  “This is another step in the wrong direction that limits development and investment in one of the nation’s most energy-rich areas and goes against a prior government decision that would allow for research and development over a much wider geographical area. Just days after the election this decision by the administration sends negative signals to industry and capital markets at a time when we need to encourage growth and innovation in the U.S."
The International Energy Agency reported on Nov. 12 that by about 2020 the U.S. will overtake Saudi Arabia as the world's largest oil producer, and that the U.S. is in a position to become energy independent by 2030. (Read the article here.) 

a) Do you think the Obama "administration continues to stand in the way of North American energy independence"? 
b) Should the federal government ease its control and regulations on this federal land?  Explain your answer.