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We Cannot Drill Our Way to Lower Oil Prices: California Needs to Send a Clear Message to the Federal Government

By Pedro Nava
Member, California State Assembly

President George W. Bush announced today that he is lifting the Presidential Moratorium on exploration and drilling on the outer continental shelf. He wants us to believe that off shore drilling is a way to reduce soaring gas prices and decrease America’s reliance on imported oil.

If the Moratorium is lifted, oil development and drilling could start off of the Northern California coast, the Central Coast, and near shore along the Southern California coasts at Santa Monica Bay, Palos Verdes Peninsula, La Jolla, and throughout Orange County.

The President’s announcement is sheer political grandstanding and will require further action by the Congress. Unfortunately, it appears as though some members of Congress have decided to reinforce the President’s proposal.

I suggest that President Bush read the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences report prepared in 1991 at his father’s request while he was president. That report found that there was insufficient scientific data to permit leasing in sensitive ocean waters. You could not secure adequate protection for the marine environment and drill for oil. President George H.W. Bush became known as the “Environmental President” because he initiated the first Moratorium.

Because of President Bush’s’ actions, I have introduced Assembly Joint Resolution 51 which voices the California State Legislature’s opposition to any further leasing of oil and gas reserves on the outer continental shelf.

AJR 51 strongly opposes lifting both the Presidential and Congressional Moratoriums on oil exploration on the outer continental shelf. New drilling will put our coastal environment at risk while providing negligible benefits. According to the Bush Administration’s own Energy Information Agency, we won’t see an impact on prices at the pump for 20 years.

Despite having more than doubled the amount of producing oil wells over the last 15 years, gas prices have nearly quadrupled. Since 1994 the amount of wells drilled in U.S. Territory has increased from over 3,000 wells to nearly 9,000 wells. Meanwhile the average price of gas at the pump has risen from just over $1.00 to over $4.00.

Petroleum development on the outer continental shelf of the West Coast will put important segments of our state’s economy at risk. Recreation and tourism-related activities in California’s coastal counties represent more than $12.5 billion in revenues. California’s fishing and aquaculture industries are estimated to contribute an additional $400 million to the state’s economy. Why should we put valuable natural resources at risk for a miniscule benefit that wouldn’t materialize for more 20 years?

Efforts to the lift the moratorium on offshore oil drilling are a cynical ploy to take advantage of the political climate brought on by high energy prices. I strongly urge Congress to oppose the President and his misdirected efforts.

Assemblymember Pedro Nava represents the 35th Assembly District, including Oxnard, Ventura and Santa Barbara. He is the Chair of the Joint Legislative Committee on Emergency Services and Homeland Security and Chair of the Assembly Banking and Finance Committee. In addition, he serves as the State Assembly representative on the California Ocean Protection Council. Prior to serving in the legislature, he served for 8 years on the California Coastal Commission.

Posted on July 15, 2008

Comments

The price increases we are seeing are closely tied to the value of our dollar which has plummeted.

We can't drill our way back to $1 a gallon gas. But we are fools to not find what we can. As prices stay high, alternatives will rise up. If we increase our production here while alternatives start dropping demand, we will see our way to independence from foreign oil in a shorter amount of time.

For all the environmental scare tactics I've seen, you'd think the Gulf of Mexico would be an utter disaster considering there are thousands upon thousands of producing oil rigs operating daily. And there were no environmental disasters with any of these rigs even as they get plowed by hurricanes such as Katrina, Rita, Wilma, and other powerful storms. The technology today is much better. I mean seriously, don't you remember the old wood console TV with a brand new VCR sitting on top of it when GHB was president? We have made a few steps in the world of technology since then.

Posted by: Erick at July 15, 2008 09:37 AM

CITING A 1991 REPORT DOES NOT HAVE THE RELEVANCE TODAY THAT IT DID YEARS AGO. DURING YEARS OF ECONOMIC BOOM WE CAN HAVE THE LUXURY OF GIVING IN TO ENVIRONMENTALIST DEMANDS. I’M SURE THE PRESIDENT IS WELL AWARE OF THAT REPORT, BUT THE RECOMMENDATIONS MUST BE EVALUATED UNDER TODAY’S CIRCUMSTANCES. PRESENTLY THE BALANCE BETWEEN ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS AND PROGRESS HAS TILTED SO FAR TO THE LEFT WE ARE IN DANGER OF UPSETTING OUR WHOLE ECONOMIC SYSTEM. WE ALL LOVE NATURE AND CAN KEEP IT IN BALANCE WITH TODAY'S TECHNOLOGY, BUT WE MUST USE SCIENCE TO OUR BENEFIT, NOT OUR DEMISE.
JUST A LITTLE COMMON SENSE

Posted by: VERA at July 15, 2008 02:41 PM

"Can't drill our way out"
What a stupid statement!! Of course we can. More oil means less cost! I would love to have an electric truck that could pull my horse trailer or my boat, but we are like 100 years from making that happen. If we were to tap in to our oil reserves here in the US we would not need to buy oil from other countries, a monkey understands that! It seams like a bunch of people years ago got together and decided that the USA is just to damn profitable and created things like NAFTA and restrictions on drilling for oil so we could be like the rest of world. I have seen my country in it's greatest time and it makes me sick to see what it has become today. The only good thing is that I will be dead and long gone when the USA becomes a third world country. Maybe one day the people of this nation will stand together once again and provide new leaders for there future.

Posted by: Marc at July 16, 2008 01:55 PM

It's a world market. It isn't our oil. It will go into the world pool. If we add supply OPEC will decrease it. Net zero. The oil will go to the highest bidder. Besides the oil companys are not US Companys. They're all off shore. Remember the Alaska Oil Pipeline? We never saw a drop.

Posted by: Lewis at July 24, 2008 04:47 PM

I have been placing printed labels on every gas pump I use that says

How much did the
"NO-DRILLlNG-HERE"
policy cost you today?

I place them right under the window showing the dollar amount pumped so they stare at it when they ponder what they will not have money for if it comes to more than they hope.

Posted by: Rodney at August 2, 2008 04:47 PM

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