Countywide

A proposal to discourage offshore oil drilling by banning onshore oil and gas facilities in unincorporated areas stalled Tuesday when it failed to get three votes on the county Board of Supervisors.

Supervisor Susan Golding had proposed the ban and suggested that county voters be asked to vote on the issue in November.

Although Golding won the support of Supervisor Leon Williams, board members Paul Eckert and George Bailey said Tuesday they thought there were better ways to stop the federal government from leasing ocean tracts for oil drilling. Supervisor Brian Bilbray was absent and could not be reached for comment.

The issue is to be taken up again next week.

Bailey and Eckert argued that the county should pursue the issue of offshore oil drilling directly rather than by regulating what oil companies can do on land.

Bailey argued that it made little sense for the county to ban oil and gas facilities in unincorporated areas because, with the incorporation of Solana Beach and Encinitas June 3, the county no longer has jurisdiction over any of the coastline.

Golding said the ban could extend 25 miles inland and was needed because past efforts to dissuade the federal government from leasing the tracts have not had a lasting impact.