‘The Oil Connections’
Your editorial (“The Oil Connections,” April 15) which called for the cancellation of federal plans to promote offshore oil drilling off the coast of Northern California was eloquent and timely, yet ironically deficient in its failure to focus on the threat to the coast of Southern California.
Lease Sale 95 is a federal plan to lease 5 million acres extending from San Diego to San Luis Obispo. Southern Californians need to take a hard look at the costs and benefits of offshore oil drilling.
The adverse environmental impacts of offshore oil development are substantial. On average, each drilling platform generates 75,000 to 100,000 tons of toxic waste which are dumped over the side into the ocean.
In one day, a single exploratory drill ship releases the smog-generating equivalent of 7,000 cars driving 50 miles.
The editorial was on the mark by noting that the ability to contain and clean up spills must be a key consideration in whether to proceed with offshore oil drilling. According to the Department of the Interior, the probability of a large spill in California as a result of offshore oil drilling is 99%. Based on a Coast Guard analysis and our experience in Alaska, we know that on average, only 5% to 15% of a spill can be cleaned up.
The President’s OCS task force will be holding public meetings in the San Diego/Los Angeles area the week of May 22, to hear citizens views on Lease Sale 95. This is an opportunity for Southern California residents to say “no more Alaskas,” and call for responsible development if there is to be any development at all.
The American Oceans Conservation Committee is the political arm of the American Oceans Campaign. The AOCC is a broad-based coalition of elected officials and citizens opposed to Lease Sale 95, and committed to working with Congress for development of a national energy policy that minimizes the conflict with the environment. We have developed educational brochures on offshore oil drilling.
We urge elected officials, business people and other citizens to take a hard look at the future, and evaluate whether we can actually afford offshore oil drilling.
We hope that The Times will play a continuing role in the discussion of the pros and cons of Lease Sale 95.
LESLIE GAINER
Associate Director
AOCC
Santa Monica
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