Posted on 08/11/2005 5:37:09 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
COSTA MESA, Calif. (AP) - The California Coastal Commission voted unanimously Thursday against extending 36 undeveloped gas and oil leases in U.S. waters off the state's central coast, setting up a confrontation with the federal government over the panel's authority.
Some commissioners said they expected the state to sue the federal government in an effort to prevent the extension of the leases, which could lead to additional offshore drilling.
"It's amazing, the level of risk that the California coastline is being put to," Commissioner Steve Padilla said.
"This is something I do not understand. The benefits of this economically are so little they're not even existent," commission Vice Chairman Patrick Kruer said.
"This is not worth the risk" of environmental damage, Kruer said.
Commissioners, who voted 9-0 against extending the leases, said they were insulted that no representatives of the federal government or oil companies showed up at the meeting.
Commissioner Jim Aldinger called it "a slap in the face" and urged the Bush administration to "get involved in this process."
After the vote, Aldinger said he expected the commission would have to sue the federal government in order to prevent additional drilling.
The federal government argues that the California Coastal Act allows for the extension of the leases, which are in federal waters that have never been developed.
Commissioners said that continuing the leases - taken by oil companies from the 1960s through the 1980s - could result in the companies building four new drilling platforms.
Oil companies and the federal government are seeking new sources of domestic oil to offset rising prices and the nation's reliance on foreign producers. But any proposal for offshore drilling faces strenuous opposition from environmentalists and many coastal residents.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has opposed new offshore drilling.
California Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer, joined by U.S. Rep. Lois Capps, D-Santa Barbara, urged the commission to follow a staff recommendation and reject the lease extensions, which were proposed by the U.S. Minerals Management Service.
Commissioners said that if the federal government provides new information, they would review the leases one by one. They did not set a deadline for receiving the information.
The leased lands are located primarily off Santa Barbara County, but also San Luis Obispo and Ventura counties.
We don't need no steenking oil.
Typical Leftists. Whine that we shouldn't be involved in foreign oil, but turn around and demand absolutely NO development of America's oil resources.
I wish those idiots would just up and leave this nation. We'd be so much better off without their kind.
These guys are appointed by the Govenator.
He needs to clean house. Now, since I own stock in refiners and oil companies..$3 gas doesn't sound bad to me, but I know that it is tough on the working class in CA.
So get smart..and get rid of these dummies. I don't see any oil leaking on the beach, but I do see the gas prices.
OH>>a floating refinery or new one in CA could also help, but that would be asking too much.
Californians can scarcely support any local Republican except for "moderate" (read 'l-i-b-e-r-a-l') ones. Expecting Californians to handle these schmucks is just asking too much of them.
Just one reason why I'm bailing on this state.
Where are you going? What state do you think has the best(read lowest) standard of living and the best laws for a conservative to live in?
Boy, that is really awful . When they had California off-shore drilling a long time ago, I remember reading about the damage done to the beach by a large oil spill right before they shut the rigs down . however, the spill was caused by an accident on a tanker bringing in imported oil from Alaska or somewhere.
A tanker bring imn oil has an accident and they shut down domestic production .
In the Gulf of Mexico, the sea creatures thrive around those platforms, so I am told .
Go figure .
What difference would it make if we drilled in the Gulf of Mexico, off the coast of Cali, and in the ANWAR? I am all for finding new sources, but we sell oil from Alaska to other countries (Japan mainly) and it does nothing to make our nation self sufficient. Now if someone comes up with a plan that guarantees that all domestic produced oil is sold domestically, then I will be gung ho for it.
"The federal government argues that the California Coastal Act allows for the extension of the leases, which are in federal waters that have never been developed."
Key words; Federal Waters.
I'll bet $50 to be donated to FR that every single one of the idiots on the panel has complained about the price of gas within the past two weeks. Any takers?
At $66/bbl this genius, Padilla, doesn't think CA would gain anything from the oil that is bubbling up from the floor of the Gulf of CA? And hear I thought CA was crying because it's broke. I would LOVE to see TX, OK, and LA cut off every drop of oil to CA and FL and have their citizens riding bikes or walking. They don't deserve our oil.
They must all be related to Cindy Sheehan, demanding that they be met with so they can be self important and tell off whoever they want...with the cameras rolling.
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