A couple of posts ago, I lamented Mr. Obama's choice for Agriculture Secreatry, Tom Vilsack; I neglected to discuss his Interior Secretary choice, Senator Ken Salazar. As the Bush administration pushes for accelerated oil drilling off the California coast, it seems as though Mr. Obama chose a person who not only supported offshore drilling in a recent senate bill that died (it would have enabled drilling if the state whose coast it would be allowed it), but he chose someone who the Independent Petroleum Association of America finds "encour[aging]" (see article linked to in title).Why is Mr. Obama's choice so important? The President-Elect has made no indication that he will reinstate the offshore drilling moratorium that recently expired. If this were the case, then Mr. Salazar will potentially (and likely) continue the Bush Administration's last-minute pushes to advance drilling off the California coast.
Drilling off the coast will not solve any problems. To those who say it would lower fuel prices: the fact that there is only enough to supply the United States for an estimated 17 months is practically an assurance that gas prices will remain the same. And, even if they were to lower as a result of this drilling, our dependence on oil would just be furthered and the progress of alternative fuel technology, stifled (see previous post).
Drilling would almost certainly destroy the tourist economy, if not now, inevitably. Besides unsightly drilling platforms merely miles off our pristine coasts, the chance of an eventual spill is nearly guaranteed. How many travelers would want to sunbathe on an oil-drenched beach? Just think of the environmental devastation from a large-scale oil spill (remember the Cosco-Busan?). In addition to all of this, ship traffic would increase several-fold in San Francisco, Oakland, Los Angeles, and San Diego, busying our ports, increasing the chance of local spills (like the Cosco-Busan), and worsening air pollution.
Although the title "Interior Secretary" may seem neither glamorous nor relevant to your life, the ramifications of who Mr. Obama chooses are clear and immediate. Let's hope he didn't make a mistake.
3 comments:
There is already far too much drilling on the California coast as evidenced by the oil rigs that dot the horizon around Santa Barbara. Though I can see that Obama is trying to compromise in his appointments, the environment is not something to compromise on and gamble with. Hopefully congress or the state of California will stop any attempts at drilling off the coast.
spoken like a true Californian. Hopefully, with CA's added clout (Feinstein on top of the Intelligence Committee, Boxer on Environment, Chu at Energy and some others I've temporarily forgotten) come January, we'll be able to fight Mr. Salazar. One good thing, though, is that as a senator, Salazar has a fairly good record from environmental groups in general, thought perhaps the missing percentage points on the ratings come from the most crucial votes...
I don't believe offshore drilling for oil will be very effective for the economy, although supposedly will lower gas prices, because the drilling itself seems to take up a lot of money and time. By the time we feel adjusted to the so-called lower prices, we'll most likely be out of oil.
Although those who support the oil drilling tend to portray it as safer than most imagine, I'd consider any oil spill, even one known as relatively "small," to be hazardous enough. The damage is still visible in most oil spill areas today. Also, oil spills occur not only during actual offshore operation, but often during the marine transportation of oil (Exxon Valdez, 1989), so that makes the "safe" argument misleading. Hopefully, the people that Obama is appointing are going to go with "change" and if not, hopefully others will be able to stop the bad decisions from being made. It would be nice to see the environment as one of the higher priorities for Obama.
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