CA & NJ oppose new oil drilling

Recent polls from California and New Jersey demonstrate strong opposition to new oil drilling. In a recent PPIC poll in California 59% of the population oppose more offshore drilling.

A Monmouth University/Gannett New Jersey Press Media Poll reported that 63% of New Jersey residents are opposed drilling off the Jersey shore. It's notable that 80% of New Jersey residents favor placing electricity-generating windmills off the coast of New Jersey

Voice your opposition to oil drilling here.

Schwarzenegger Announces Withdrawl of Support for Controversial Offshore Oil Drilling Project

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger withdrew his support Monday for a controversial new offshore oil drilling project off the Santa Barbara coast in the wake of a massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

Read more

Show Me the Money; What's Next in Alaska; Revised Deal in California

NATIONAL

Obama’s offshore oil drilling plan spurs push for billions in royalties
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2010/04/08/obamas_offshore_oil_drilling_plan_spurs_push_for_billions_in_royalties/
“President Obama’s pledge last week to open huge areas for offshore drilling does more than expand potential oil and gas production. It creates an opportunity to pressure oil companies to pay billions of dollars for past deep-water oil production if they want to drill in the new areas.
At issue is a hotly contested law that, as read by the court, has allowed companies to avoid paying royalties on oil drilled in the Gulf of Mexico. Critics, including Representative Edward J. Markey of Malden — who plans to introduce legislation next week — now seek to force companies such as ExxonMobil and Shell to begin paying on those existing leases as a condition of obtaining new ones. The payments could add up to $50 billion for federal coffers.”

Al Gore Expresses Disapproval Of Obama's Offshore Drilling Plan
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/08/al-gore-expresses-disappro_n_530632.html

ALASKA

Agency faulted over handling of Alaska offshore oil drilling
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-alaska-drilling8-2010apr08,0,6269729.story

What's next for oil in the Alaskan Arctic?
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/greenspace/2010/04/arctic-oil-drilling-chukchi-anwr-minerals-management.html

CALIFORNIA

Effort to reach California offshore oil drilling deal revived
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-oil-drilling8-2010apr08,0,1014179.story
“Environmental groups say a previous failed pact with a Texas firm has been retooled to make it more acceptable, allowing new platforms but setting an end date for drilling. Not everyone is convinced.”

NEW JERSEY

Offshore drilling plan opposition runs deep
http://www.shorenewstoday.com/news.php?id=8322

Offshore Oil - Bad Deals, Bans and Protests

California

Don't trade oil for parks
http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/localnews/ci_14352149

Oregon

Oregon House votes for 10-year ban on off-shore oil and gas drilling
http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2010/02/oregon_house_votes_for_10-year.html

Florida

A 'human line in the sand'
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/opinion/columnists/a-human-line-in-the-sand-216473.html
“Floridians who don't want oil drilling as close as 3 miles head for the beaches this Saturday for the simplest demonstration ever.”
Also: Join hands to prevent Gulf drilling
http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20100207/LETTERS/100209780?Title=Join-hands-to-prevent-Gulf-drilling
“Our goal is to persuade legislators and Gov. Charlie Crist to drop the folly of offshore oil drilling. All it takes is one accident -- one oil spill. It is just not worth the risk to our environment and coastal tourism industry.”
Also: Protest aims at oil drilling
http://keysnews.com/node/20676

Virginia

Virginia's misguided rush to drill offshore
http://www.dailypress.com/news/opinion/dp-op_drilling_0207feb07,0,6391655.story
“In the heated debate over offshore drilling, policymakers have […] largely ignored the coastal environment and economies that would be subjected to potential harm from new offshore drilling such as off Virginia's coast. […] It is disturbing that in their rush to drill, oil and gas drilling advocates in Virginia would oppose prudent studies on the impact of drilling on our precious Chesapeake Bay, our sensitive coastal wetlands, and our highly lucrative tourism and fishing industries that are completely dependent on clean beaches and healthy ocean waters.”

In Virginia, offshore drilling a bipartisan goal
http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-na-drilling-virginia8-2010feb08,0,3211440.story
The space agency, which operates a launching facility on the Virginia shore, says drilling would pose a safety risk because of the rigs' proximity to where rocket components fall into the Atlantic."You'd think 50 miles out would not be a problem," NASA spokesman Keith Koehler said. "But for us, it is. It's right in the middle of our launch range."

Opposition to Offshore Drilling - East and West

NATIONAL

Offshore Drilling Will Not Wean Us Off Foreign Oil http://oceanswavesbeaches.blogspot.com/2010/02/offshore-drilling-will-not-wean-us-off.html

Offshore Oil Drilling Environmental Facts (eHow.com)
http://www.ehow.com/facts_5928010_offshore-oil-drilling-environmental.html

CALIFORNIA

Eco groups withdraw support of Calif. oil drilling
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/business/6851425.html

Three articles on the announcement by Lt. Governor nominee Maldonado that he will vote no on the PXP project if it comes back to the State Lands Commission:

Lieutenant governor nominee to vote against offshore oil drilling plan
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2010/feb/02/lt-gov-nominee-says-hell-vote-against-new-oil/
Maldo: No On Oil Drilling Plan
http://blogs.kqed.org/capitalnotes/2010/02/02/maldo-no-on-oil-drilling-plan/
Lt. Gov. nominee could cast vote on new oil-drilling off Calif. coast
http://www.scpr.org/news/2010/02/03/Lt-Gov-Hearing/

A system in peril: Budget cutters again target the state parks
http://www.capitolweekly.net/article.php?_c=yltualr2mo113c&xid=yltb8biuctdlee&done=.yltualr2mol13c
“This year, rather than proposing deep, painful cuts as he has for the last two years– only to have them rejected by popular outcry – the Governor has tried a different game of political “chicken.” His latest budget proposes to eliminate all General Fund support for state parks and replace it with uncertain funding from a highly controversial oil-drilling project that has been rejected twice. The Administration proposes to cut $140 million allocated to state parks and offset it with future revenues from oil drilling off the Santa Barbara coast. So, the “fortune” of California’s state parks would be inextricably linked to an oil drilling proposal that already failed to get approval – not once, but twice in 2009.”

FLORIDA

Oil drilling could hurt offshore game fishing, researchers say
http://www.nwfdailynews.com/news/oil-25385-drilling-researchers.html

Statewide event opposes offshore drilling
http://www.tbnweekly.com/front_page/content_articles/020310_fpg-01.txt

Protesters oppose offshore drilling
http://sealitsoc.blogspot.com/2010/02/protesters-oppose-offshore-drilling.html

Enviros Lobbying for Oil Drilling in CA? Oil for Roads in VA?

CALIFORNIA

Environmental groups battle over oil drilling
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2010/feb/01/environmental-groups-battle-each-other-over-oil/
“Critics question whether the terms of the agreement can be adequately enforced. They argue if California were to allow the first new drilling in state waters since 1968 to go forward, it would send a message to the federal government that the state is now receptive to opening new oil leases off its coast.”

FLORIDA

Off Shore Oil Drilling Symposium
http://www.wctv.tv/home/headlines/83312167.html
In a symposium held Monday a panel of eight experts from all over the nation gave their two cents. "Any time a resource is taken out of the sea bed, it has to be transported in some way and it's by pipelines. There could be a significant disruption of territorial displays," says Felicia Coleman, Director of FSU's Coastal and Marine Lab.

VIRGINIA

Offshore drilling-royalties plan advances
http://hamptonroads.com/2010/02/offshore-drillingroyalties-plan-advances

Rethinking Virginia Drilling; Both Florida Candidates Oppose Drilling

VIRGINIA

US Govt pushes any drilling off Virginia past 2011
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN2610221420100126?type=marketsNews
“The Obama administration put that plan under review when it came into office, and U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar says he will decide by this summer whether the prior Bush plan will go forward. However, the department's Minerals Management Service, which oversees offshore drilling, said the proposed Virginia leasing plan will be delayed. The department may still decide against any energy exploration in the area.”

McDonnell concerned about a new possible delay in offshore oil drilling http://voices.washingtonpost.com/virginiapolitics/2010/01/post_557.html
"Any delay beyond 2011 I would strongly oppose,'' McDonnell said. "A delay of a year in the lease means yet another delay in the revenue...I am dead serious about trying to make Virginia the energy capital of the East Coast. We have every God-given natural resource that a state could want to make that happen and a big piece of that goal of energy independence is offshore production of oil, gas and wind and we don't need federal government delays. We need cooperation."

Thank You, Interior Department: Oil Drilling Off Virginia Delayed Indefinitely
http://rootswire.org/content/thank-you-interior-department-oil-drilling-virginia-delayed-indefinitely

FLORIDA

Candidates for governor agree offshore oil drilling a threat
http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20100127/BREAKINGNEWS/100127021/Candidates-for-governor-agree-offshore-oil-drilling-a-threat
Also: http://www.tallahassee.com/article/20100127/CAPITOLNEWS/100127012/Poll-shows-McCollum-ahead-of-Sink-in-race-for-governor
“Proposals to drill for oil and natural gas in the Gulf of Mexico are also pending before the 2010 legislative session. Sink said she is totally opposed while McCollum said he thinks three to 10 miles from the coast is too close, and that he does not like what he's seen so far. "This is not a proposal for offshore drilling," said Sink. "This is a proposal for near-beach drilling." McCollum said, "I'm a huge skeptic" and that an oil spill "would just completely terrorize our beaches.””

Protect Florida’s Beaches with Hands Across the Sand (Audubon of Florida)
http://audubonoffloridanews.org/?p=3767
Also: Be a Part of "Hands Across the Sand" at Shell Point Beach
http://www.wakulla.com/Announcements/Community_Service/Be_a_Part_of_%22Hands_Across_the_Sand%22_at_Shell_Point_Beach_201001269423/

CALIFORNIA

More PXP Deal Fallout
http://www.calbuzz.com/2010/01/i-jerry-how-brown-campaign-will-be-run/
“After AP picked up our story last week on the once-secret offshore oil drilling agreement between PXP oil company and the Environmental Defense Center, Calbuzzer and campaign media consultant Don Ringe worked up an animated political cartoon featuring a monologue by “Mr. PXP” about the deal, which you can find here.
And special Calbuzz T-Ridge props to KQED’s John Myers, who closely questioned Schwarzmuscle about the issue at the governor’s Monday appearance at the Sacto Press Club and offers a smart take on the exchange on his blog at Capital Notes.
Two points worth noting here: a) As Myers reports, it’s interesting to see how breezily Arnold is in abandoning the notion of “principles” when the going gets tough; b) the governor clearly formulates the deal on T-Ridge as a “budget-driven” decision, not an energy vs. environment balancing act.
That is precisely the point that most concerns many environmental opponents of the deal: that California’s landmark environmental protections should be conditioned on the ebb and flow of the budget. In other words, any time Sacramento is in the red, just suspend the Coastal Sanctuary Act or AB 32 or local development guidelines and generate some fresh cash. Laissez les bons temps rouler.
The environmentalists who support the deal, like the EDC, do not agree with this fiscal argument of Arnold’s for the deal: to them T-Ridge has always been a pathway to end some offshore oil drilling permanently, essentially by horsetrading a lease to slant drill in state waters for a promise to decommission four operations in federal waters.
But: Lay down with dogs, wake up with fleas.”

Shock Waves in the Atlantic; Arnold's World in California

Interior to look at drilling in Atlantic Ocean
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/25/AR2010012503085.html
Government plans cautious moves on Atlantic drilling
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/6835125.html
"Before deciding on those requests, the Interior Department first is required by federal law to study the potential environmental impacts of the seismic testing. Some environmental advocates have said the shock wave surveys can injure whales and other marine life or cause them to change their breeding habits and other behavior."

North Carolina - Perdue's offshore drilling panel meets
http://www.wral.com/news/state/story/6883866/

California - Schwarzenegger: "Look Beyond" One's Principles
http://blogs.kqed.org/capitalnotes/2010/01/25/schwarzenegger-look-beyond-ones-principles/
"It will be satisfying so many ends," he said. "First of all, we get less dependent on foreign oil. Second, we will get extra revenues. The environmentalists are happy, business is happy, so everyone is happy, so why not go ahead with it?" My question is, what world is this guy living in?

Alaska - Off Shore Oil Drilling Threatens Marine Life

Shell faces legal fight over Arctic wells
http://surfspots-gps.com/off-shore-oil-drilling-threatens-marine-life

Big Texas Oil Spill; Follow the Money in CA

Texas

Collision Causes Crude Oil Spill in Texas
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704562504575021540843701582.html?mod=rss_Today%27s_Most_Popular
The U.S. Coast Guard says about 450,000 gallons of crude oil has spilled into the Port of Port Arthur area in southeast Texas after two vessels collided. "This is a big one," said Petty Officer Third Class Richard Brahm. The Port Arthur spill can be described as large, according to the classification established by the International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation Ltd., which tracks oil spills around the world. According to the ITOPF, large spills are those that are over 700 metric tons. The size of the Port Arthur spill is estimated at about 1,500 metric tons. The spill is the second to afflict the Texas coastline recently; in October, a supply vessel crashed against a Liberian-flagged oil tanker offshore of Galveston, resulting in an 18,000 gallon oil spill—equivalent to about 429 barrels of oil or 58 metric tons.

Texas Spill: Oil and Water Still Don't Mix (Mother Jones)
http://motherjones.com/blue-marble/2010/01/texas-spill-nope-oil-and-water-still-dont-mix?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+motherjones%2FTheBlueMarble+%28Mother+Jones+%7C+The+Blue+Marble%29
“In a healthy dose of irony, the Port Arthur Chamber of Commerce's motto is, "Where oil and water mix, beautifully." Proponents of drilling often tout how environmentally friendly their practices are these days. But Saturday's spill is a healthy reminder that no matter what you do to oil, there's nothing very green about it.”

California

AP Article Says Environmentalists Paid Thousands By Oil Company
http://www.keyt.com/home/ticker/82431007.html
Oil company, environmental groups in secret deal
http://calcoastnews.com/2010/01/oil-company-environmental-groups-in-secret-deal/

Maldonado and Nava clash over offshore oil
http://calcoastnews.com/2010/01/maldonado-and-nava-clash-over-offshore-oil/

Firms, trade group helped fund GOP legislators' retreat
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-junket24-2010jan24,0,7805604.story
“Chevron and other oil companies have long battled a proposed oil-extraction tax. One such proposal was vetoed last year by Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.Asked why Chevron donated the money for the retreat, Comey said, "We wanted to attend the event and we made the contribution." He added that the firm supports such conferences for legislators of both parties "to facilitate their ability to reinvigorate the economy."Plains Exploration would have been the major benefactor of a bill last year to open the door to more oil drilling in the Tranquillon Ridge field off the coast of Santa Barbara County. Fourteen of the 15 Republicans in the state Senate voted for the legislation. The bill failed, but the proposal is back in Schwarzenegger's proposed budget for the next fiscal year.The company sent a representative to the retreat "to get the message out on the Tranquillon Ridge project," Plains Exploration spokesman Steve Rusch said.”

Florida

Offshore drilling resolution delayed again
http://www.tampabay.com/news/localgovernment/offshore-drilling-resolution-delayed-again/1067505
“Commissioners agreed with the draft's main premises: that the city's economy relies heavily on tourism revenues tied to the beaches, especially the centerpieces of Honeymoon and Caladesi islands, and that oil wells within 3 miles of the coastline could risk Dunedin's "largest industry and quality of life."”

Nelson: Oil drilling is incompatible with military training
http://blogs.tampabay.com/buzz/2010/01/nelson-oil-drilling-is-incompatible-with-military-training.html
"It remains the Defense Department's policy that military exercises and training in the eastern gulf are incompatible with oil drilling operations.''

More Critcism of Oil-for-Parks in CA; More Threats to the Beaches in FL

Oil-for-parks plan derided as blackmail (CA)
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/jan/22/oil-parks-plan-derided-blackmail/

Senators push to bring oil drilling closer to Florida’s coast
http://politics.remedy.org.ua/c5b176b4/
“This isn’t even thinly veiled,” Nelson said. “Its an oil industry bailout plan.”

Offshore Drilling Language Poses Problems for 'Energy Only' Bill
http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2010/01/22/22greenwire-offshore-drilling-language-poses-problems-for-73614.html
"We need a balanced energy menu with vegetables and protein, not just a pile of Cool Whip."

Debates in Florida, Shady Deals in California

Florida

Offshore drilling remains hot topic at Tallahassee debate
http://www.tallahassee.com/article/20100120/CAPITOLNEWS/1200312

Florida oil drilling opponents challenge report
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/southflorida/story/1434585.html

Florida State to Host Second Symposium on Offshore Drilling (Audubon of Florida)
http://audubonoffloridanews.org/?p=3704

Is oil drilling safe in the Gulf of Mexico? SAFE says so – or do they?
http://blogs.creativeloafing.com/dailyloaf/2010/01/21/is-oil-drilling-safe-in-the-gulf-of-mexico-safe-says-so-or-do-they/
“Please join your fellow Floridians and tourists alike for Hands Across the Sand on Saturday, February 13th.”

California

More Questions Than Answers on Offshore Drilling Agreement
http://www.californiaprogressreport.com/site/?q=node/7357
“EDC is setting a precedent that absolutely will lead to widespread drilling on the coast. Instead of maintaining a strict opposition to offshore drilling on the merits, they've indicated that such opposition has a price, and once met, opposition will go away.”

Oil & Secrecy
http://www.independent.com/news/2010/jan/21/oil-secrecy/

Alaska

Shell offshore oil drill plan in Alaska challenged
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN2017961320100120?type=marketsNews

National

The phony oil drilling debate (Scitizen)
http://scitizen.com/future-energies/the-phony-oil-drilling-debate_a-14-2218.html
This is from September 2008, but it’s still relevant.
“It’s at least order of magnitude more important to worry about the demand side, rather than the supply side.”

More Outrage Over Oil for Parks in California

Oil vs. Parks (CA)
http://www.independent.com/news/2010/jan/14/oil-vs-parks/

Arnie pushes PXP (CA)
http://www.newtimesslo.com/news/3863/arnie-pushes-pxp/

Offshore Oil Drilling Near Santa Barbara...Say What???
http://peopleforgreenjustice.blogspot.com/2010/01/off-shore-oil-drilling-near-santa.html

Parks versus drilling? (CA)
http://www.ecovote.org/blog/?p=1690

Oil Drilling Politics in Florida and California

Capping offshore drilling (FL)
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/opinion/os-ed-offshore-drilling-011210-20100111,0,2833994.story

Political Potpourri: Parks, Pistols, Puppies & Pot (CA)
http://www.calbuzz.com/2010/01/political-potpourri-parks-pistols-puppies-pot/

Oil for Parks dominates the news...

There were many articles over the weekend on Schwarzenegger’s plan to fund state parks through revenues generated through a twice-rejected plan to drill new oil wells in the ocean off Santa Barbara. Here are some reactions:

"Blackmail might be a better term for it," said Assemblyman Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael, who chairs the Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee. "He's saying I'll fund the parks if you'll open up the coast to new oil drilling."

"Why anyone would think this would ever get approved is kind of a mystery," said Elizabeth Goldstein, Executive Director of the California State Parks Foundation, who is championing an $18 vehicle registration fee to fund state parks and give motorists free admission.

"The California State Parks Foundation (CSPF) rejects the Governor’s proposal to eliminate core public funding for California’s 278 state parks and replace it with uncertain funding from an oil drilling project that has not been approved for California, as announced in his proposed 2010-11 State Budget today," a statement from the organization read. "He has resurrected the Tranquillon Ridge offshore oil drilling proposal and has attempted to give this controversial and uncertain financial proposal environmental credentials by directing its proceeds to the state park system."

“Californians should reject this false choice between offshore oil drilling and state parks,” said Graham Chisholm, executive director of Audubon California. “The Governor is hoping that our love for state parks will compel us to take his bitter medicine and support new offshore oil drilling. The park measure will secure the future of our state parks without jeopardizing California’s coast.”

"Our coast is one of our most important economic assets and renewing offshore oil drilling puts at great risk our tourist and fishing industries," said Dan Jacobson with Environment California.

"The hypocrisy of the Governor cannot be overstated," said Susan Jordan who directs the California Coastal Protection Network. " He would rather reverse forty years of bi-partisan California state policy against offshore oil drilling to push through a pet project over 100 statewide groups have joined to oppose rather than require oil companies extracting oil from our state's sea beds pay a severance tax -- their fair share to taxpayers for doing business in California. We are the only oil producing state in America that does not tax extraction of gas and oil on lands owned by the state. This would bring in more than 1.5 billion dollars annually to the state's General Fund," she emphasized.

Governor seeks to use oil money to save parks
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/01/09/MNIJ1BFPO7.DTL

Schwarzenegger: Fund State Parks via Offshore Oil Money
http://laist.com/2010/01/08/schwarzenegger_fund_state_parks_via.php

Arnold Tries Again on T-Ridge
http://www.calbuzz.com/2010/01/arnold-tries-again-on-t-ridge-rumors-of-the-week/

California State Parks Get Drilled by Governor’s Proposed Budget
http://northerncaliforniahikingtrails.com/blog/2010/01/09/california-state-parks-get-drilled-by-governors-proposed-budget/

Enviros blast Arnold’s oil-for-parks plan
http://www.ibabuzz.com/politics/2010/01/08/enviros-blast-arnolds-oil-for-parks-plan/

Schwarzenegger's Budget Threatens the Coast of California with Offshore Oil Drilling (Environment California)
http://yubanet.com/california/Schwarzenegger-s-Budget-Threatens-the-Coast-of-California-with-Offshore-Oil-Drilling.php?utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Yubanet+(YubaNet.com+Headlines)

Want state parks? Let us drill offshore
http://blogs.redding.com/mbeauchamp/archives/2010/01/want-state-park.html

Governor’s budget proposal only proves need for State Parks Initiative
http://www.audublog.org/?p=3201

EPA Issues Draft Permit for Exploratory Wells Off Alaska
http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2010/01/08/08greenwire-epa-issues-draft-permit-for-exploratory-wells-26752.html

Oil lobby scaling back its presence in Tally (FL)
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/news_politics/2010/01/oil-lobby-scaling-back-its-presence-in-tally.html
“Environmentalists who oppose the proposal, which last year could have led to drilling as close as three-miles offshore, hailed Florida Energy Associates’ downsizing as a sign that supporters were losing their will to continue an increasingly uphill battle.”
Also see http://audubonoffloridanews.org/?p=3630

Governor wants you to choose between offshore oil drilling and state parks (Audubon of CA)
http://www.audublog.org/?p=3185
That’s what he’s asking for on Page 31 of his just-announced proposed budget. Here’s the relevant text:
"Fund State Parks from Tranquillon Ridge Oil Revenues — A reduction of $140 million in General Fund and replacement with revenue generated from the Tranquillon Ridge oil lease. It is estimated that the Tranquillon Ridge oil lease will generate $1.8 billion in advanced royalties over the next 14 years. This revenue will be used to fund state parks. The Governor’s Budget assumes that the State Lands Commission will approve the Tranquillon Ridge proposal. If not approved by the Commission, legislation will be necessary."

A much better solution that provides for stable State Parks funding and increases access to State Parks for all Californians without the "devil's bargain" of new offshore oil drilling is the State Parks and Wildlife Conservation Trust Fund Act of 2010, a proposed statewide initiative slated for the November 2010.

Salazar, Nava Stand Up to Big Oil

In separate actions yesterday, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and California Assemblymember Pedro Nava put out clear signals that neither the federal government nor the State of California are willing to roll over and give the oil companies whatever they ask for, which has too often been at the expense of both our environment and our economy.



Salazar's reforms, which affect drilling on public lands and offshore, mean the Bureau of Land Management no longer will simply accept oil and gas industry nominations when the agency is compiling a list of parcels to be offered at auction. New policies will mean BLM officials will conduct on-the-ground analyses of parcels for potential resource conflicts before they are listed for leasing. This will allow more organizations and individuals with wildlife, cultural-resource and environmental concerns to provide information that could counter industry interests. Predictably, oil companies howled. Secretary Salazar responded: "Under the previous administration, the oil and gas companies were essentially kings of the world, with Interior their handmaiden. Those from the industry who are crying out are simply crying because we are being thoughtful and supporting development in the right way and the right places."



In California, Assemblymember Nava introduced the Oil Industry Fair Share Act, which will establish an oil severance tax of 10% on the gross value of each barrel of crude oil pumped by companies in California. This tax will provide more than $1.5 billion in revenue to the General Fund annually. “California oil companies are getting a free ride. Right now, California is the only major oil producing state that does not charge a severance tax on oil extraction. It is time for California to catch up with Alaska, Texas, Alabama, and Arkansas. We need to collect the people’s share of this revenue source by forcing Big Oil to pay its fair share,” said Nava.

Schwarzenegger to seek federal help for California budget
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-budget23-2009dec23,0,7164018.story?track=rss
“One new source of revenue in the budget: Schwarzenegger will revive a plan to allow offshore oil drilling from an existing platform off the Santa Barbara coast. The proposal was so controversial during last summer's budget debate that after the Assembly voted down the plan, members expunged the vote, erasing it from the public record.”

On a related note, we thought it would be interesting to point out this text from the Schwarzenegger administration' s California Ocean Action Strategy (2004):

"Eliminate Adverse Impacts of Offshore Oil and Gas Development. The Schwarzenegger Administration will continue to defend California’s right and duty to protect the California coast from the impacts of new offshore oil and gas leasing, exploration, or development on the federal Outer Continental Shelf and will encourage the federal government to seek a settlement to extinguish the 36 leases off the California Coast."

Environmentalists: Why T-Ridge is a Bad Deal (CA)

http://www.calbuzz.com/2009/12/why-t-ridge-offshore-oil-project-is-a-bad-deal/

Offshore drilling claims by oil and gas industry: lies and half-truths? (FL)
http://www.examiner.com/x-29137-Tallahassee-Environmental-News-Examiner~y2009m11d10-Offshore-drilling-claims-by-oil-and-gas-industry-lies-and-halftruths

Some Locals Line Up Against Drilling (FL)
http://www.jaxobserver.com/2009/11/10/some-locals-line-up-against-drilling/

Governor gains leverage in coast oil drilling fight (CA)
http://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/local/breaking_news/story/916896.html
Also http://www.vcstar.com/news/2009/nov/11/governor-gains-leverage-in-offshore-oil-drilling/

Alaska Natives seek restrictions on drilling
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jS0fA1u9RL7e6uO-KFeK_1-y4B1gD9BTJBOG0

AB 1536 FAIL

The second attempt to make an end run on the State Lands Commission by legislating a temporary sham commission fails. Enough is enough. It's time for PxP stop these slimy attempts to subvert California's independent natural resource management agencies.

From the NY Times Greenwire:

By DEBRA KAHN of Greenwire

A bill that would have allowed the first new offshore oil lease in California in 30 years to offset budget woes failed to pass the state Legislature last week, leaving the longstanding moratorium intact for now.

A.B. 1536 died in committee Friday, to the relief of environmental groups that had supported an offshore drilling lease proposal earlier this year by Houston-based Plains Exploration and Production Co., or PXP.

PXP had secured the support of several environmental groups by promising to donate land and shut down all drilling off the coast of Santa Barbara by 2022, but those groups balked at the prospect of circumventing the State Lands Commission, the body normally in charge of in-state energy production (Greenwire, June 2).

The bill by Assembly Minority Leader Sam Blakeslee (R) would have supplanted the Lands Commission with a three-member board of appointees of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) instead of one appointee and two elected officials. The commission voted in January to reject PXP's offer, despite the environmental concessions and up to $5 billion in oil royalties through 2022 it could produce.

Read the rest here...

Sam Blaskeslee makes end run at State Land's Commission denial of PXP. OPPOSE AB 1536

This week Sam Blakeslee takes sole ownership of the "Flaming Oil Rig" award.

In a second attempt to to an end run on the California State Lands Commission denial of the PXP, CA Rep. Sam Blakeslee "guts and stuffs" AB1536 to create a sham committee to approve the project.

Urgent Action Needed to Oppose AB1536

In July you all worked hard to defeat the CA Governor’s Oil Drilling Scheme. Your efforts helped carry the day. The Governor’s plan was defeated in the California Assembly by a vote of 28 – 43.

There was massive opposition to the first attempt at this end run and the opposition has only grown.

Unfortunately, PXP is trying to make a comeback and CA Asm. Sam Blakeslee is its new champion – Republican Assembly member Sam Blakeslee has a gut-and-amend bill (AB 1536) to hand PXP the 1st new lease to drill in state waters since the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill. The Blakeslee bill would create a sham committee to subvert the State Lands Commission authority.

We have to defeat this blatant disregard for California's independent resource protection agencies. We did it before and we can do it again.


Your urgent action is needed -- AB 1536 (Blakeslee) is currently in the Senate Rules Committee. The bill cannot proceed without special action by the Committee. Please contact Senator Darrell Steinberg (Senate President Pro Tempore and Chair, Rules Committee) at (916) 651-4006 to express your opposition to this bill and ask him to stop AB 1536. Remind Senator Steinberg that 93 environmental organizations oppose this legislation.

Please take the time to thank those Members of the Assembly who stood strong and did not support this coastal giveaway the last time it was considered. Ask them to stand with you on this issue again. Their names and phone numbers are below.

Click here to find your district representative.


Tom Ammiano (916) 319-2013

Jim Beall (916) 319-2024

Marty Block (916) 319-2078

Bob Blumenfield (916) 319-2040

Julia Brownley (916) 319-2041

Joan Buchanan (916) 319-2015

Anna Caballero (916) 319-2028

Wilmer Amina Carter (916) 319-2062

Wes Chesbro (916) 319-2001

Joe Coto (916) 319-2023

Mike Davis (916) 319-2048

Hector De La Torre (916) 319-2050

Kevin De León (916) 319-2045

Mike Eng (916) 319-2049

Noreen Evans (916) 319-2007

Mike Feuer (916) 319-2042

Nathan Fletcher (916) 319-2075

Paul Fong (916) 319-2022

Felipe Fuentes (916) 319-2039

Warren Furutani (916) 319-2055

Cathleen Galgiani (916) 319-2017

Isadore Hall (916) 319-2052

Diane Harkey (916) 319-2073

Mary Hayashi (916) 319-2018

Ed Hernandez (916) 319-2057

Jerry Hill (916) 319-2019

Alyson Huber (916) 319-2010

Jared Huffman (916) 319-2006

Dave Jones (916) 319-2009

Paul Krekorian (916) 319-2043

Ted Lieu (916) 319-2053

Bonnie Lowenthal (916) 319-2054

Fiona Ma (916) 319-2012

Tony Mendoza (916) 319-2056

William Monning (916) 319-2027

John Perez (916) 319-2046

V. Manuel Perez (916) 319-2080

Anthony Portantino (916) 319-2044

Ira Ruskin (916) 319-2021

Mary Salas (916) 319-2079

Lori Saldaña (916) 319-2076

Nancy Skinner (916) 319-2014

Jose Solorio (916) 319-2076

Audra Strickland (916) 319-2037

Sandré Swanson (916) 319-2016

Tom Torlakson (916) 319-2011

Norma Torres (916) 319-2061

Alberto Torrico (916) 319-2020

Mariko Yamada (916) 319-2008

Speaker Karen Bass (916) 319-2047