Foes of Pacific Palisades Oil Drilling Qualify Initiative

Opponents of Occidental Petroleum Corp.’s plans to drill for oil in Pacific Palisades have qualified a citywide initiative for the November ballot that could kill the controversial project if approved by voters, City Clerk Elias Martinez said Wednesday.

Martinez said a random sampling of the more than 125,735 signatures submitted by drilling foes June 9 indicates that initiative backers will easily exceed the 69,516 valid signatures needed to place it before voters. State law allows a random counting of signatures in determining whether initiatives qualify.

For Councilmen Zev Yaroslavsky and Marvin Braude, the anti-drilling measure is the second grass-roots initiative they have helped qualify in two years. The last, Proposition U, ushered in a new slow-growth movement in the city after its overwhelming passage in November, 1986.

“We’re delighted and we’re looking forward to a very difficult but winnable campaign,” Yaroslavsky said. “The issue will be whether one special interest, a multinational corporation, will put the birthright of Los Angeles--its coastline--at risk.’

While Proposition U faced strong opposition, the anti-drilling initiative faces much tougher obstacles.

First, it may appear on the same ballot with an Occidental-sponsored initiative not only protecting the drilling project but also earmarking revenues for police and education. Martinez said a random counting of signatures for the competing measure will be finished next week. Drilling proponents submitted 142,147 signatures on June 16 and will need the same 69,516 to qualify.

In addition, Occidental has already demonstrated its willingness to wage an expensive campaign not only to win voter backing for its own initiative but also to defeat the measure backed by Yaroslavsky and Braude. The measure receiving the most yes votes will prevail.

Braude said Wednesday that anti-drilling forces will need $2 million to wage an effective media campaign against the Occidental measure, but he predicted that much less will be raised.

Expressing concern over the likelihood that voters will be asked to decide between two competing measures, Braude accused Occidental of “trying to steal and leech on our issues. We’ve had a lot of people tell us that they’re confused.”

Joseph Cerrell, a campaign consultant for pro-drilling groups, said he was not surprised that the anti-drilling initiative qualified and predicted that the Occidental-backed measure will also qualify.

The anti-drilling initiative would prohibit drilling for oil within 1,000 yards of the city’s shoreline. It would also rescind the three ordinances passed by the City Council and signed by Mayor Tom Bradley in 1985 that approved Occidental’s exploration plans.

Braude and Yaroslavsky launched the initiative drive after it became apparent to them that Braude’s attempt to win a repeal of the project ordinances would fail in the council. Their prediction came true earlier this month.