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Critical Offshore Drilling Vote Nears -- 4 Important Facts This week the House Interior Appropriations Committee approved by a 37-25 vote an amendment, offered by Rep. Peterson (R-PA), to the FY2007 appropriations bill that would lift the moratorium on offshore natural gas drilling. This is a serious threat to every protected inch of America’s coastlines starting just three miles offshore. A vote in the full House is expected Thursday. Four things every American should know about this proposal to revoke the moratorium on drilling off our coasts: 1. There is no such thing as a "natural gas only" lease -- we're talking about oil and gas drilling. There will be no definition of what constitutes gas and what constitutes oil, essentially terminating the entire moratorium.The myth of “natural gas only” leases is just that: a myth. For more, please see our fact sheet at http://www.sierraclub.org/wildlands/coasts/factsheets/gasleases.pdf 2. Even drilling for natural gas is a dirty business. All drilling operations generate huge amounts of waste and significant levels of air pollution such as sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides. Water pollution from drill cuttings and produced water contain toxic metals such as mercury, lead and other pollutants like benzene. And the rigs, platforms and pipelines industrialize our coasts. 3. This would revoke 25 years of bipartisan, bicoastal protections and allow drilling starting 3 miles offshore from places like the Florida Keys, North Carolina’s Outer Banks, Virginia Beach, Jersey Shore, Georges Bank in Maine and the California coast at risk. 4. There are faster, cheaper, cleaner and longer-term energy solutions. We can save money and energy with energy efficiency and clean, renewable energy and protect our coastal waters, beaches and economies. Last year Peterson’s amendment failed on a 262-157 vote, but the oil, gas, chemical manufacturing industries are gearing up for an intense lobbying push in the coming days and are manipulating high energy prices to take this first step to gaining complete access to offshore areas. This is a critical time for America’s coasts and for the nation's energy future. |
