New Interior Secretary Ken Salazar nullified oil and gas leases that had been let for about 100,000 acres in Utah. The leases were opposed by the usual contingent of environmental groups with the aid of some high-profile Hollywood-types including Robert Redford.

Salazar critics included the usual contingent of producers and consumer groups, but the Congress of Racial Equality brought forth perhaps the most stinging criticism. Saying working parents, single mothers and the elderly will be hurt by this policy, CORE spokesperson Niger Innis wrote, "The only winners in this decision are the Hollywood elites who use our western states for a personal playground, burn a lot of energy to keep their private jets aloft and their mansions warm and don't notice if energy costs go up."

Last week, Salazar said we need to restore an orderly process to our offshore energy planning program. It already takes years of permitting processes to produce oil and gas from a federal lease so you figure what "restoring and orderly process" means. Salazar also has obstructed the development of oil shale in the West. Extraction processes still are being perfected, but some estimate there could be more oil in our western shale than all of Saudi Arabia's reserves. Is this the type of change we need?