The issue of offshore oil drilling in California is still alive despite the moratorium that has been in place since 1991. The moratorium does not include the leases issued prior to this arrangement. Forty leases could still be developed off the central coast even though oil drilling off the California Coast would provide little contribution to national energy production. The moratorium is over in October 2000, which could open the entire coast to new leases. As a result of changing laws and technology, the way these leases may be drilled is from onshore using a lateral drill extending four miles from shore! These types of platforms reduce the apparent impacts of oil drilling. Current leases are pending on Environmental Impact Statements. However, none of the EIS statements have been in compliance with the California Coastal Commission over the past ten years.
In February 2000, the CCC and Governor Davis sued the federal government for extending the time that is allowed to come into compliance. The object of the lawsuit is to block extensions granted on the federal level for undeveloped leases. Compliance means a cumulative impact analysis requiring: 1) a thorough inventory and comprehensive evaluation of air quality and clean water degradation; 2) drilling mud's toxicity; 3) vessel traffic hazards; 4) oil spill possibility; 5) visual impacts; and 6) impacts to local communities (particularly where onshore facilities support processing, pipelines, marine terminals, and oil spill response centers). Other standards are included in the Endangered Species Act, the Coastal Zone Management Act, and essential fish habitat under the Fishery Conservation and Management Act.
President Clifton has issued an executive order stating that the California Coast will be protected from any new leases until 2012, though his statement has not been followed through with a formal announcement. The next president will have the power to void this executive order through an act of Congress. We need to send a message that there will be permanent protection of the California Coast.
The focus here is not only permanent protection of the California coast and coastal waters off the United States, but to what extent will we keep drilling for oil? The United States is already expanding it's offshore drilling in the outer continental shelf throughout Alaska, Florida's Gulf Coast and North Carolina. Currently they are unprotected from drilling exploration and development. It's not that were running out of oil - it's that we can't afford to burn what we already have. We are already exceeding the limits for greenhouse effects on global warming. Climate change is the ecological limit to the oil industry. Have you noticed the temperatures fluctuating lately? So why does the oil industry spend $156 billion annually to explore and develop? We are addicted to black gold.
HR 701 and S25, or CARA (Conservation and Reinvestment Act), which have now passed through Congress, commits the U.S. to a policy of dedicating revenues from the exploitation of nonrenewable resources, oil and gas into securing the statues of living renewable resources, conserving land and water resources, and providing recreational opportunities for our cities and local communities. The revenues from oil suggest an incentive for communities to continue to develop and exploit oceans. Call the President (before June 14) and ask him to veto this legislation. We cannot damage the oceans to fill the coffers of yet another government 'environmental' bureaucracy bent on doing yet another study to conserve nature.
I urge communication to the House and Senate asking for permanent protection of coastal waters, not only in California but the coastal United States. I also encourage funding for the development of alternative, affordable energy sources such as hydrogen fusion, solar, and vegetable matter.
Call President Clinton: 202-456-1111 or fax 202-228-4056.
Senator Diane Feinstein: 202-224-3841 or fax 202-228-3954.
Representative Mike Thompson: 202-225-3311 or fax 202-251-9800.
Copyright Mendocino Environmental Center 2000
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