State lawmakers signed a bipartisan resolution Monday intended to buck a federal battle brewing that could open more of California's coast to offshore oil drilling.
The resolution, introduced by Assembly Speaker Pro Tem Leland Yee, D-San Francisco, stakes the state against some lawmakers in Washington trying to tweak a congressional energy bill to include more oil exploration in Northern California and other areas. Details of the bill are being ironed this week, and President George W. Bush said he wants to see the bill cross his desk in August.
A federal moratorium on offshore oil drilling has been in place for 24 years, but a U.S. Senate version of the energy bill would include seismic surveying just outside the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, which includes San Mateo County's coast.
Environmentalists said seismic surveying detonates air underwater, and is identical to explosives. Sea life could be damaged within the sanctuary, they said, and federal rules could open the door to oil drilling.
Federal legislators are not bound by Monday's state resolution, but most state lawmakers, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and California's senators are hoping Congress will heed the state's position.
Yee said the resolution "deals a setback to the efforts of the petroleum lobby" to open the coast to offshore drilling.
Congress has been responsive to similar state resolutions, said Richard Charter, a member of the Gulf of Farallones National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council.
"We expect a knock down, drag-out fight in House deliberations," Charter said, on whether seismic survey explosions can occur near marine sanctuaries.
Controversy has surrounded whether the explosions harm fishes' hearing, and Charter said it inhibits locating prey and ultimately, the underwater ecosystem.
"Oil industry leaders claim opening more coastal waters to drilling might reduce dependence on foreign oil and lower gas prices, but those savings might be a long way off. Production could not begin for at least 10 years," Charter said.
Oil firms have also said new equipment lessens the chance of spills - like the 1969 Santa Barbara spill that slicked beaches - but environmentalists are still wary.
In the Bay Area, the Monterey sanctuary stretches from Cambria to Marin, but the Sonoma coast is not permanently protected from oil exploration. To permanently protect it, U.S. Rep. Lynne Woolsey, D-Petaluma, and U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer introduced a bill in April to expand the Farrallones sanctuary boundaries to Gualala, in Mendocino County. The drilling moratorium is passed annually and many fear it might not last.
A conference committee to consider the federal energy bill is expected to assemble this week. Incentives might also be offered to states to open sensitive areas to offshore oil drilling, but it has not yet been decided.
In the meantime, Charter said, "I hope they will listen to our California state Legislature and governor."
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.