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2006-02-18 Home Front Economy

Feinstein, Boxer: forbid all new oil drilling in federal waters

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Posted by lotp 2006-02-18 11:17|| || Front Page|| [1 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Airguns may bother the whales, but it's not like the survey boats are sneaking up on the poor things while they are sleeping and then making a big noise and waking them up. The boats move slowly back and forth over a pretty small area over days or weeks of time. The ocean's a big place and the whales wander most of it - if the noise bothers them, they can take a vacation trip for a little while.

California has had natural oil seeps on and offshore for millions of years. The Indians hundreds of years ago collected the tar balls to waterproof their baskets. Today's oil drilling and production practices put far less oil into the sea than the occupants of a typical marina (unless you count the oil coming from the power boats as the fault of the oil drilling and production companies because they, you know, produced it in the first place.) In fact, by depleting offshore oil reservoirs and reducing their pressure, the amount of oil NATURALLY seeping into the coastal seas is probably being reduced. I recall some years ago a large natural seep near Santa Barbara was capped by an oil company and the seeping oil collected - think it measured in barrels per day, which is huge by modern spill standards (other than tanker wrecks). Reported spills are typically small fractions of a gallon - what you get when a hard rain washes off the driveway where you park your old truck.

Posted by Glenmore">Glenmore 2006-02-18 11:48|| 2006-02-18 11:48|| Front Page Top

#2 I's better not hear any speeches from either ~~Blockhead~~ Boxer or ~~Schweinhund~~ Feinstein about "ending dependence on foreign oil" ever again.

Posted by Mike 2006-02-18 12:03|| 2006-02-18 12:03|| Front Page Top

#3 Saudis concur.

Posted by gromgoru 2006-02-18 12:08|| 2006-02-18 12:08|| Front Page Top

#4 Isla Vista, just north of Santa Barbera is the spot,Coal Tar Beach as its known, they call it "natural seepage" and the stuff is all over the beach, you HAVE to wash your feet with mineral oil after you leave as they eventually get pretty caked with oil, very sticky gooey oil.Its a very popular beach though as it is on the UCSB campus. There are lots of oil rigs out on the horizon and some of the locals say that the rigs leak the oil.
The rigs are pretty much of an eye sore and the feilds of oil lie out in front of ,amoung other things Ronald Regans old ranch, that is to say, where they want to put more of these rigs right in the sunset views of some of the highest priced real estate in America. I'm sure they'll fight it tooth and nail. Californians are the most massive consumers of all here in the US or at least a close 2nd or 3rd. They need to take account of their own needs and use their own resources, they already try to use everyone elses water out here in the West, mabey they should cough up some of their oil, help the rest of us out a bit.

Posted by bk 2006-02-18 12:15|| 2006-02-18 12:15|| Front Page Top

#5
Seems to me, we get to pick one environmental fight. I suggest that we support nuke power. It is the only independent energy source with electrical distribution already in place.

Posted by Master of Obvious 2006-02-18 13:37|| 2006-02-18 13:37|| Front Page Top

#6 While I'm all for opening up these fields, I gotta say this isn't a Repub vs Democrat thing. Gov. Bush pushed a few years ago to keep rigs from drilling offshore of the Redneck Riviera in Florida (supposedly called his brother who put the kibosh on it later). However, blocking rigs from going in beyond the line of sight (for tourism purposes) is ridiculous. What's the distance of the horizon...something like 12 miles, so anything past that should be o.k.'d in my mind (you can't see them).

Posted by BA 2006-02-18 14:38|| 2006-02-18 14:38|| Front Page Top

#7 I thought Call-e-fornication had strict rules against pollution?

Rep. Lower Her Knee Capps?

For those who forbid sourcing new energy, make them walk. It'll free up the congestion on the freeways.

Posted by Captain America 2006-02-18 15:04|| 2006-02-18 15:04|| Front Page Top

#8 California lawmakers are asking for a permanent ban on drilling in federal waters off the state's coast as the Bush administration and Congress make a major push this year to expand offshore oil and gas development.

Remember this the next time anyone hears about either of our two IDIOT Senators bitching about the price of energy that citizens have to pay.

I suggest that we support nuke power.

Forget it. The typical Californian wants all of the benefits and none of the drawbacks of anything in question, and that mentality isn't solely confined to the issue of energy. A bunch of spoiled assholes, as far as I'm concerned.

Posted by Bomb-a-rama 2006-02-18 15:21|| 2006-02-18 15:21|| Front Page Top

#9 So tell the Californicators the nuke plants will be in Mexico. They get cheap labor from there, so why not cheap power?

Posted by Robert Crawford">Robert Crawford 2006-02-18 17:19|| http://www.kloognome.com/]">[http://www.kloognome.com/] 2006-02-18 17:19|| Front Page Top

#10 Gov. Bush pushed a few years ago to keep rigs from drilling offshore of the Redneck Riviera in Florida

We need our beaches to protect our maid, dancing mouse and fast-food economy.

Posted by 6 2006-02-18 20:02|| 2006-02-18 20:02|| Front Page Top

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