Oregon Decides that Offshore Drilling is NOT THE ANSWER in its Territorial Sea

Yesterday, the Oregon State Senate passed HB 3613 by a vote of 22-8. This bill restores the moratorium on offshore drilling for oil and gas within Oregon's Territorial Sea (0-3nm) until 2020. This bill was supported by a diverse coalition of businesses, organizations, fishing groups and the Siuslaw, Newport, and Portland Chapters of the Surfrider Foundation.

Read More:

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/greenspace/2010/02/oregon-offshore-oil-drilling.html

http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2010/02/oregon_senate_endorses_10-year.html

http://olcv.org/resources/moratorium-offshore-drilling-passes-oregon-senate

Waiting for Drilling Decisions, But Why Wait for Conservation?

Florida

Experts: 2010 may not be make, break for drilling
http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9DU20F82.htm

East Coast

US Reviews East Coast Exploration Timeline
http://www.energyintel.com/DocumentDetail.asp?document_id=659078
“In a letter to Congress, the Interior Department said it will complete the necessary steps to plan for the possibility of "multiple geological and geophysical activities" in federal waters off the US East Coast in two years. The department plans to hold environmental reviews, scoping meetings, and public comment periods before issuing a final decision on offshore energy activities in the Atlantic by April 2012. Any exploration drilling would not occur until at least 2014.”

National

Offshore Oil Drilling Will Not Make Us Conserve Oil
http://oceanswavesbeaches.blogspot.com/2010/02/offshore-drilling-will-not-make-us.html
“The way to address an addiction is to seek alternatives to the addiction. We need to stop producing large, wasteful vehicles. We must embrace the fact that we are running out of a natural resource and act accordingly. We can not drill our way out of this problem. Offshore drilling wouldn't even allow us to top our cars off, we'd only get 10% from offshore drilling and the trade-off is massive as we would put coastal economies and ecosystems at risk.”

Thousands of Hands Across the Sand in Florida

Hands at St. Pete Beach

Hands at Cocoa Beach

Here is just a sample of the media coverage for last Saturday's Hands Across the Sand event in Florida to protest proposed new offshore oil drilling there:

Thousands Hold Hands Against Drilling Off Florida Beaches
http://www.cfnews13.com/News/Local/2010/2/13/thousands_hold_hands_against_drilling_off_florida_beaches.html
Protestors rally to fight oil drilling off Florida coasts
http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2010/feb/13/protestors-rally-to-fight-oil-drilling-off/

TC Palm: Editorial: Oil drilling could change Florida for the worse
http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2010/feb/16/editorial-oil-drilling-could-change-florida-for/

Protesters across Florida rally against offshore oil drilling

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/palm-beach/fl-hands-across-the-sand-20100213,0,2132843.story

Activists unite on beach in protest against oil drilling
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami-dade/story/1479494.html?asset_id=1479124&asset_type=gallery

Surfers, Scientists Say No To Oil Drilling Off Florida Coast http://blogs.miaminewtimes.com/riptide/2010/02/jesse_bull_a_surfer_with.php

Hands Across the Sand sends message
http://www.tbnweekly.com/pubs/belleair_bee/content_articles/021510_bee-01.txt?archiveview&print&print

Floridians protest offshore oil drilling
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE61C2LT20100213

Hands join to protest offshore drilling
http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/dpp/news/local/hands-across-sand-021410

Protesters draw line in sand
http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/News/Enviro/bchEAST04ENV021410.htm

Florida Beach Goers Protest Offshore Drilling
http://florida-travel.suite101.com/article.cfm/florida-beach-goers-protest-offshore-drilling

Hundreds line Pinellas County beaches to protest near-shore oil drilling
http://tampabay.com/news/environment/water/hundreds-line-pinellas-county-beaches-to-protest-near-shore-oil-drilling/1073098

Hundreds say 'no' to offshore drilling
http://www.pnj.com/article/20100214/NEWS01/100214001/1006/Hundreds-say-%E2%80%98no--to-offshore-drilling

Surfrider to Host Community Forums around California

During March and April, the Surfrider Foundation and Environment California will be hosting community forums to discuss the threat of offshore oil drilling and what local communities can do to keep the oil rigs at bay!

This first community forums will be held in:

• San Diego on March 3 (7pm) 
• Los Angeles on March 17th (7pm)  

View the invitation for the San Diego and LA forums here (and below) ....and stay tuned for information about the forums being held in LA, Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Francisco.

Drill Off the Gulf Coast of Florida? - Consider This

One of our activists in Florida recently sent this response to a supporter of new offshore oil drilling:

Thanks for your letter.

You mentioned the Ixtoc 1 blowout in the Gulf. That spill released over 140 million gallons of crude oil into the Gulf.
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0001451.html

This summary explains why environmental impacts were not as great as they could have been. Location and prevailing currents made for a lucky break - there was plenty of time to prepare before the mess came near shore.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ixtoc_I

Depending on the location of a blowout in the eastern Gulf, plus winds and currents, Florida's coastlines and sea life could be damaged for a generation. See NOAA study here as to oil impacts on mangroves. The only mangrove communities in the continental U.S. are in Florida (the entire west coast of Everglades National Park) and the study explains in detail why this ecological community would be the very worst place any sized spill could happen.
http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/book_shelf/34_mangrove_complete.pdf

See also photos of major oil spill off the Australian coast this past summer from 'state of the art' oil rig only a couple of years old.
http://www.theage.com.au/photogallery/wa-news/the-west-atlas-oil-spill/20090829-f34l.html?selectedImage=0

This NOAA image of the Gulf of Mexico shows the basic Loop Current - always subject to change depending on weather conditions:
http://www.texaspelagics.com/GOMocean/GOM_LoopCurrent.jpg

Offshore drilling in the eastern Gulf near Florida could well be a nightmare waiting to happen. Both the ecology and the economy of Florida would be hit very hard by a major spill. The risk is too great - the rewards much too small.

Finally, see this study which shows how even routine offshore oil drilling operations impact the ecosystem and sea life:
http://www.offshore-environment.com/oilbedford.html

Gearing Up for Hands Across the Sand in Florida; Virginia Senate Says 'Not So Fast' to Governor McDonnell

Florida

Florida beach towns plan protest against oil drilling
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking-news/story/1472187.html

Offshore oil drilling forum draws more than 125 on both sides of the issue (includes video)
http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2010/feb/09/offshore-oil-drilling-florida-forum-naples-news/

SWFL leaders back and forth on offshore drilling
http://www.nbc-2.com/Global/story.asp?S=11959158

Florida Today Editorial: Hands Across the Sand (reefrelieffounders.com)
http://www.reefrelieffounders.com/drilling/2010/02/10/florida-today-editorial-hands-across-the-sand/

Hands Across The Sand Offshore Oil Drilling Protest (Eye on Miami)
http://eyeonmiami.blogspot.com/2010/02/hands-across-sand-offshore-oil-drilling.html


Virginia

State Senate defeats bill on offshore drilling
http://www2.wsls.com/sls/news/state_regional/govtpolitics/article/state_senate_defeats_bills_on_offshore_drilling_changing_budget_timeline/80421/
"There [was a] major setback today in the Virginia Senate for Gov. Bob McDonnell, with the Democratic majority defeating legislation endorsing offshore drilling for oil and gas..."

Hands Across the Sand in Florida; Beaches Protected for a Decade in Oregon

Florida

Hands span coast against offshore oil drilling
http://www.pnj.com/article/20100209/NEWS01/2090315/1006/NEWS01/Hands-span-coast-against-offshore-oil-drilling

Take Action this Saturday to Save Florida's Coasts from Oil Impacts
http://www.surfline.com/surf-news/environmental-letter/take-action-this-saturday-to-save-floridas-coasts-from-oil-impacts_40921/

"Hands Across The Sand" (Opinion Matters blog)
http://www.floridatoday.com/content/blogs/opinion/2010/02/hands-across-sand.shtml


Oregon

Supporters cheer Oregon House vote to ban off-shore drilling for 10 years
http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2010/02/supporters_cheer_house_vote_to.html