Protecting Monterey Bay

Hats off to The Times for your editorial (“Don’t Even Think About It,” March 6) supporting an oil and gas drilling ban in the pending Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Ever since the Reagan Administration dumped the proposed sanctuary in 1983, the Center for Marine Conservation has been working to secure protection for this world-class marine area by opening government decision making to concerned citizens.

I recall too well how in the waning days of the Carter Administration the oil companies and their representatives in the Interior Department tried to block bans on oil and gas drilling in pending sanctuaries around the Channel Islands and off Point Reyes. Then, as now, the oil industry and Interior declared their support for protecting special areas even as they worked to gut that protection.

But cynicism has reached a new low when the Minerals Management Service’s spokesman claims that his agency has supported a larger sanctuary area off Monterey than the Commerce Department. Call Interior today and you will find the oilcrats scurrying to retrench by disclaiming that position. That position is contradicted by facts we could all see if the Office of Management and Budget wasn’t being so secretive about its capitulation to Interior’s attempt to derail the Monterey sanctuary.

Even crasser is Interior’s claim that decisions on protecting the Monterey Bay ecosystem should await a White House decision on oil drilling policy in general. Interior’s oil and gas leasing program has hardly missed a beat while the task force on oil drilling proposed for Southern and Northern California has tried to sort out the President’s campaign promises on protecting ecologically sensitive areas. Regardless what the President decides to do with the recommendations, drilling in the Monterey Bay area should be prohibited now.

MICHAEL WEBER

Vice President for Programs

Center for Marine Conservation

Washington, D.C.