Domenici Offshore Drilling Bill Undermines Decades of Bipartisan Coastal Protections; Pryor and Warner Bill Also Threatens Coasts, Ignores Real Energy Solutions
Pryor and Warner Bill Also Threatens Coasts, Ignores Real Energy Solutions
(02/16/2006) - "America's fragile beaches and coastal waters are under growing congressional and administrative threats, including the misguided approach outlined in Senator Domenici’s legislation. The oil and gas industries and their allies in Congress are working to dismantle decades of important coastal protection and industrialize America’s fragile coasts by overturning the 25-year old bipartisan ban on new oil and gas drilling off the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS)."Today the Senate holds a hearing on the bill introduced by Pete Domenici (R-NM) which would open up nearly 4 million acres to oil and gas development. Yesterday Senators Mark Pryor (D-AR) and John Warner (R-VA) introduced legislation that would: open new lease areas in the Gulf of Mexico, including vast areas within Lease Sale 181; allow state governors to petition the Interior Department for waivers of current coastal leasing bans for natural gas development. The natural gas leases would also allow oil production if the state agrees to it; and coerce coastal states to accept more offshore drilling and drilling closer to shore with fiscal incentives.
"Last week the Bush administration released a 5-year offshore drilling plan that would open up vast areas of the Lease 181 area in the Gulf of Mexico and anticipates opening areas off Virginia's coast and in Alaska's Bristol Bay and Florida's southwest coast that are currently protected by both Congressional moratoria and presidential deferrals.
"These bills ignore the realities of offshore oil and gas drilling and real energy solutions. Last fall, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita shone a bright spotlight on the danger of our oil dependence and how fragile our reliance on it is. The hurricanes also exposed how vulnerable offshore oil and gas drilling infrastructure is, yet the knee-jerk reaction to throw up more offshore rigs continues. Earlier this month President Bush made the headlines by admitting the country is addicted to oil. It is disappointing to see Senators Domenici, Pryor, Warner and others advocate legislation that further entrenches our dependence on drilling some of the most sensitive areas.
"Senators Bill Nelson (D-FL) and Mel Martinez (R-FL) introduced a bill last week would head off these threats by providing permanent protection for Florida’s coasts and extended protection for the remaining moratoria areas. Instead of undermining protections that America’s coasts have long enjoyed, we encourage Congress and the administration to move more in the direction of Senators Nelson and Martinez. We need to shift the national debate on offshore drilling closer to securing permanent protection for America’s fragile coasts.
"The legislation introduced by Senators Martinez and Nelson bill strikes an important balance between development and protection of America’s coasts. Their bill extends federal OCS moratoria on new oil and gas drilling until at least 2020, provides permanent protection for Florida’s coasts and retires the 99 active leases in the Eastern Gulf.
"As this process moves forward, we hope that in addition to seeking permanent protection for our coasts, Congress will also make critical strides on the clean energy front, embracing energy efficiency, clean renewable sources of energy and making cars go farther on a gallon of gas. In the end, we don't need to sacrifice our beaches and coastal waters to meet America's energy needs."
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