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Coastal Protection – May 22, 2006 OFFSHORE DRILLING “CHEAT SHEET” BACKGROUND: In 1981, Congress protected America’s coasts, beaches, and marine ecosystems from the threats of oil and gas development when they adopted the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Moratorium. The moratorium prevents the leasing of coastal waters for the purpose of fossil fuel development. Every year since then Congress has renewed the moratorium on new oil and gas development off the Atlantic and Pacific coasts as well as Bristol Bay Alaska. In 1990, President George H.W. Bush authored an additional level of protection which deferred new leasing until 2002 which Bill Clinton then extended in 1998. The presidential deferrals are set to expire in 2012. But now these protections are in danger of being weakened or overturned. Pro-drilling forces are aggressively pushing, with the help of powerful Congressional allies, bills that would undermine the moratoria that protect our coasts. In 2005, although drilling advocates ultimately failed to change the moratoria policy, they were successful in moving forward the debate to open our coasts to oil and gas drilling. Those who want to overturn the OCS moratorium have vowed to renew their efforts, and in 2006 we can expect our coasts to face additional Congressional and administrative attacks with attempts to lift the moratorium all together. Instead of drilling off our coasts, it’s time to embrace real energy solutions – energy efficiency, renewable resources like solar and wind power, and making our cars go farther on a gallon of gas. We don’t need to sacrifice our beaches coastal waters and economies to meet America’s energy needs. THREATS TO AMERICA’S COASTS IN 2006: On February 15th, 2006: The Minerals Management Service (MMS) released its 5-year Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) planning document that details future leasing and development in areas of the Gulf as well as Alaska and the mid-Atlantic coast. The plan moves to aggressively lease vast new areas in 21 proposed lease sales. In addition, the plan assumes that areas off the Virginia coast would be available for development in the year 2011. They are anticipating that the Virginia state legislature would move to opt out of the current federal moratoria and that the President would nullify the present deferral which extends until 2012. Similarly, the document contemplates lifting the current presidential deferrals protecting Bristol Bay in Alaska. The MMS held public hearings on the proposal -- nine hearings in Alaska and one apiece in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Virginia and Texas. February 2006: Senator Pete Domenici (R-NM) and others introduced their damaging plan for the development of the central and eastern Gulf of Mexico. The bill would open up nearly 3.6 million acres to oil and gas development. As chair of the Senate Energy Committee, he is expected to move that bill quickly to the floor for full Senate consideration in May or June. The bill is also rumored to be part of the Republican response to high gas prices, and they have indicated they plan to move energy legislation in early June. February 16th, 2006: Senators Pryor (D-AR) and Warner (R-VA) introduced The Reliable and Affordable Natural Gas Reform Act which will open vast new lease areas in the Gulf of Mexico within Lease Sale 181 and end all presidential deferrals in the OCS. The proposal will allow state governors to petition the Interior Department for waivers of current coastal leasing bans for natural gas development. These natural gas leases would also allow oil production if the state agrees to it. Finally, the legislation will coerce coastal states to accept more offshore drilling and drilling closer to shore with fiscal incentives. Spring 2006: Rep. Peterson (R-PA) introduced the Outer Continental Shelf Natural Gas Relief Act which would immediately repeal the Congressional OCS moratoria that protect the Atlantic and Pacific coasts and allow “natural gas only” leasing offshore. It would also revoke former President George H.W. Bush’s and Bill Clinton’s Executive OCS Leasing Withdrawals (otherwise currently scheduled to last until 2012). A Governor could object to any lease sales proposed within 20 miles of their shoreline but the bill also includes fiscal incentives in the form of revenue sharing to coerce states into accept drilling off their coasts. May 18th, 2006: As part of the Fiscal Year 2007 Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations bill Representatives Putnam, Capps, Foley, Davis, Bill Young and Pallone introduced an amendment that would restore the offshore drilling moratorium. The amendment won 217-203, keeping the coasts clear of drilling rigs for now. During committee consideration of the Interior Approps bill, Congressman Peterson was successful in passing an amendment to lift the moratorium on off-shore natural gas drilling. April 7th, 2006: Virginia Governor Kaine rejected energy legislation, introduced by State Senator Frank Wagner (R-Virginia Beach), that promoted opening up Virginia’s long-protected coasts to offshore drilling and authorizes Congress to lift the moratorium on new offshore drilling. However, Governor Kaine inserted language into the bill that says Virginia supports a federal survey to be paid for with federal dollars of offshore waters more than 50 miles from the coast to determine potential natural gas deposits.CURRENT EFFORTS TO PROTECT AMERICA’S COASTS: In Congress, the offshore moratorium has enjoyed strong bipartisan support throughout its 25-year existence. The Sierra Club strongly supports permanent protection for our beaches and coastal waters. In an effort to advance their proactive vision for this Congress, on February 1st, 2006, Senators Nelson (FL-D) and Martinez (FL-R) unveiled a bill, the Permanent Protection for Florida Act. This measure provides permanent protection for Florida’s coasts and extends the moratoria protecting the entire Atlantic and Pacific coasts through the year 2020. The Martinez-Nelson bill will:
On February 16, Congressman Jim Davis (D-FL) introduced a companion bill to the Martinez-Nelson bill in the House. Representatives Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL), Allen Boyd (D-FL) and Corrine Brown(D-FL) are original cosponsors of the bill. RECENT STATE-BASED BILLS TO MAKE PERMANENT THE OCS MORATORIUM: Senators Boxer and Feinstein introduced a bill February 16, titled the California Ocean and Coastal Waters Protection Act. Their bill would permanently protect the California’s world class ocean and coastal resources from any new oil and gas leasing or development.. It would also reinstate the ban on the harmful practice of seismic airgun testing in federal waters and national Marine Sanctuaries. Representative Lois Capps (D-CA) has introduced a companion bill to Boxer-Feinstein on the House side with 31 cosponsors from the California delegation. Senators Robert Menendez and Frank Lautenberg introduced February 16 The Clean Ocean and Safe Tourism Anti-Drilling Act, or COAST Anti-Drilling Act, that would protect New Jersey’s beaches, and the tourism industry it supports, by permanently banning oil and gas drilling off the Mid-Atlantic and Northern Atlantic coast. RECENT (2005) THREATS TO THE OCS MORATORIUM: Spring 2005: Governor Warner of Virginia vetoed the Offshore Drilling Bill (SB 1054), after the measure passed the Virginia Assembly. SB 1054 would have directed the Virginia Congressional Liaison Office to aggressively pursue an exemption to the federal moratorium for natural gas exploration May 19th, 2005: Rep. John Peterson (R-PA) offered an amendment to allow offshore natural gas-only drilling in the Outer Continental Shelf as part of the FY 2006 Department of Interior appropriations bill. The Peterson amendment was soundly defeated in a 157-262 vote on the House floor. May 26th, 2005: The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee approved the 2005 energy bill by a vote of 21-1 to send the measure to the Senate floor. Senator Landrieu (D-LA) offered two amendments, one to do a natural gas inventory of the outer continental shelf, and one to reexamine the current revenue sharing arrangement. The inventory amendment was passed, but at Senator Domenici's (R-NM) suggestion Senator Landrieu withdrew her amendment to reconsider the revenue arrangement. June 21, 2005: Senators Martinez (R-FL), Nelson (R-FL), and Corzine (D-NJ) offered an amendment to strike the OCS seismic inventory language from the overall energy bill. The amendment lost 44-52 August 2005: Congress approved the energy bill conference report (H.R. 6). H.R. 6 includes the provision mandating an underwater seismic inventory of the entire outer continental shelf. November 15, 2005: Rep. Peterson (R- PA) introduced the Outer Continental Shelf Natural Gas Relief Act (HR 4318) which would lift the OCS moratorium for natural gas leasing only. November 2005: A provision that would immediately rescind the offshore oil and gas leasing moratorium was stripped from the Budget Reconciliation Package when a bloc of moderate Republicans voiced their objections. Fall 2005: Congressman Pombo (CA-R) crafted a plan that offered a buffer zone for Florida’s coasts but not permanent coastal protection and would have lifted the federal OCS moratorium that covers the Atlantic and Pacific coasts and Bristol Bay Alaska, only allowing states to opt-in to protections. For more information, please contact Annie Strickler at (202) 675-2384 or visit www.sierraclub.org/coasts
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