Yee Blasts Pombo’s Federal Bill to Allow Offshore Oil Rigs
American Chronicle, 10/27/05
California Political Desk
Despite California’s Official Opposition to Any Weakening of Drilling Moratorium, Congressman Pombo Continues Assault on the Environment
SACRAMENTO
Just months after the California State Legislature passed a resolution officially declaring the State’s opposition to any Congressional effort to weaken the long-standing federal offshore oil drilling moratorium, U.S Congressman and Chair of the House Resources Committee Richard Pombo (R-Tracy) continues to push legislation that his home state rejects, including ending 24 years of bipartisan congressional protection for coastal states and opening up Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to oil exploration.
“I’m not sure whose interests Congressman Pombo is trying to represent, but clearly it is not that of California,” said Speaker pro Tem Leland Yee (D-San Francisco/Daly City), the author of Assembly Joint Resolution (AJR) 14, the state legislation that declared California’s opposition to Pombo’s plans. “AJR 14 overwhelmingly passed with bipartisan support, yet one of our own representatives in Congress is the chief architect of a plan to open the Arctic Refuge and to put our coastal communities at risk.”
For over two decades, Congress has protected the coasts of California, Washington, Oregon, and other US coastal states from expanded offshore drilling in the form of a legislative moratorium. However, on Wednesday, the House Resources Committee passed a bill that would remove all current congressional coastal protection from offshore drilling, and instead substitute an uncertain and complicated new bureaucracy in which states desiring continued protection would need to submit a “petition” for consideration by the Secretary of Interior to extend their coastal protection five years at a time for up to a maximum of ten years.
In addition, the bill would allow oil and gas exploration within 125 miles off the coast and give states the power to allow oil drilling as close as 50 miles and natural gas drilling even closer at 25 miles.
“It is unconscionable to allow states to experiment with offshore oil drilling,” said Speaker pro Tem Yee. “What happens off the coast of Oregon and Washington may have dramatic impacts on California’s coast. The protection of California’s coastline is vital to our wildlife as well as our economy, particularly commercial fishing and tourism, which annually contributes over $50 billion to the state’s economy.”
“Offshore oil leasing and production would degrade the quality of our air and water, and adversely impact our marine resources,” said Richard Charter, Co-Chair of the National Outer Continental Shelf Coalition. “Any offshore oil spill would severely impact threatened and endangered species, and damage our coastal economies.”
Since 1969, when over 3.2 million gallons of crude oil spilled off the coast of Santa Barbara County, Californians have become even more wary about offshore oil drilling, resulting in a series of state and federal oil and gas leasing prohibitions, including the California Coastal Sanctuary Act of 1994. California’s ocean waters are home to four important sanctuaries – Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary, Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary, and the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary – which are particularly sensitive to impacts of any new oil development in adjacent waters.
AJR 14 received support from the California Coastal Protection Network, California Defenders of Wildlife, California League of Conservation Voters, Committee for Green Foothills, City of Malibu, County of San Mateo, Environment California, Environmental Defense Center, Farallones Marine Sanctuary Association, Natural Resources Defense Council, The Ocean Conservancy, Sequoia Audubon Society, and Sierra Club, among others.
Congressman Pombo’s bill must pass both the House and Senate before heading to the President.
“It is time Congressman Pombo starts representing California’s interests and not the interests of the polluters and the big oil companies,” said Speaker pro Tem Yee. “It is imperative that Californians continue to have their voices heard on this issue and urge our members of Congress to oppose this attack on the environment.”
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