By Steve Colomé
‘Preaching to the choir’ was the refrain heard throughout the Santa Barbara People’s Hearing on Jan. 16.
If this was a choir, it was one big powerful voice and a show of force from a broad and effective coalition of ocean lovers, elected officials, environmentalists, attorneys, tribal leaders, scientists, and students - along with a celebrity for good measure.
While no new offshore oil and gas leases have been issued in California for more than forty years, the current federal administration is proposing new leasing that would allow additional oil rigs off the coast. Since the Interior Department is not holding a public hearing on this major policy proposal, the People’s Hearing was born to amplify the voice of the community.
Emceed by two UCSB students and Surfrider members, the presentations were begun with an in-depth history of offshore drilling in California by Maggie Hall, Deputy Chief Counsel at the Environmental Defense Center (EDC). Hall said that we are in the first stage of new offshore oil development under federal law and leasing could begin as early as the end of this year.
According to Hall, “new leasing means new drilling and the near inevitability of new oil spills along beaches and in communities that have been repeatedly devastated by past oil catastrophes. In Santa Barbara we know first-hand the danger of offshore oil drilling. There is no way to drill for oil without causing devasting impacts to our coastal environment, tourism and recreation, and economy.”
Unfortunately, we’ve seen this scene before. In January 1969 a blow-out occurred on Union Oil’s platform, five miles offshore. It is estimated that four million gallons of crude oil was released into the Santa Barbara Channel - one of the largest spills ever from an offshore oil well.
The 1969 spill killed thousands of birds, and other wildlife. There were serious economic consequences to the region due to this blow-out.
That event sparked the first Earth Day a year later and catalyzed major environmental laws and policies, including the Clean Water Act, establishment of the California Coastal Commission, and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) - which is now being weakened by the Trump administration.
Then in 2015, a pipeline servicing three Exxon-Mobile off-shore platforms ruptured on the Gaviota coast. Half-a-million gallons of crude oil poured onto our environmentally sensitive coastline. Total economic costs resulting from this spill are estimated to be a quarter-billion dollars.
Next up was Mia Lopez from the Coastal Band of the Chumash Nation who delivered an impassioned and uplifting land acknowledgement. Lopez stressed that people must connect to the land if we wish to connect with other people.
Next to speak was Ted Danson, a long-time advocate against offshore oil drilling and a member of Oceana’s Board of Directors. According to Danson: “Our state continues to suffer from offshore drilling’s destructive legacy. When I talk to people from both political parties, everyone agrees that the risk of expanded offshore drilling is too high for California’s coastline, fisheries, wildlife, communities, and local economies. We’ve stopped this before and we can do it again. This is the moment for all of us to stand up and speak loudly to protect our coast from offshore drilling – for the sake of our oceans, our state, and future generations.”
Danson stressed the need for persuasion over anger and the value of making an emotional connection along with legal and technical expertise, or the combination of “heart and science.”
Then came a bevy of political heavy-hitters who are essential in our quest to halt the federal administration in its tracks: Congress member Salud Carbajal, Assembly member Gregg Hart, and SB County Supervisors Laura Capps and Joan Hartmann. There in spirit but not in person, was State Senator Monique Limón, President pro Tempore and head of the State Senate.
Carbajal spoke forcefully of the past failures of offshore oil drilling and how unnecessary it is to pursue any new offshore oil production here. “Our coastline is too valuable and the risks too high.”
Tribal representative Veronica Mendoza spoke to the oil spills off the Central Coast and the tragic and inevitable damage from offshore drilling Hart recalled visiting the oil-spoiled beaches of Santa Barbara as a 9-year-old boy. He was appalled by the helplessness of the adults and the sad scene of injured and dying birds and sea life. Supervisors Laura Capps and Joan Hartman both noted that we are in an election year and that the voice of the people needs to be heard. They both took a large step forward as BOS members by voting to get Santa Barbara County out of the oil business. The Trump administration is attempting to override the will of our voters, and we will not let that happen.
The hearing concluded with various members of the audience speaking about their own experiences and the need to stop the Department of the Interior from proceeding with this foolish plan. Participants were encouraged to send comments opposing the leasing – with the Phase I comment period ending Jan. 23, but stay tuned for future developments!
The People’s Hearing was sponsored by Surfrider, EDC, Santa Barbara Channel Keepers, UCSB Environmental Affairs Board, Society of Fearless Grandmothers, SB/Ventura Chapter of the Sierra Club – and hosted by the Community Environmental Council at their Santa Barbara Hub on State St.
“The Sierra Club is proud to stand with our partners and members to protect our coastline, our economy, and the jobs tied to tourism and fishing. It’s time to move forward, not backward. We’re not asking – we’re demanding - that the federal 5-year lease plan from the U.S. Interior include no new oil and gas development off the California coastline.” said our Chapter Chair, Maureen Ellenberger.
This choir has raised its voice, and we will be heard all the way in Washington!