Rob Perks's Blog: Reviving the World's Oceans

BREAKING NEWS: Virginia Coast Off-Limits to Drilling

2010-05-06T18:55:39Z

This just in...The U.S. Department of Interior has indefinitely suspended plans for an oil and gas lease sale off the Virginia coastline!

Two days ago I blogged on this:

As a native Virginian who grew up surfing Virginia Beach and vacationing along North Carolina's nearby Outer Banks, I've long opposed coastal drilling along those placid shores. When skyrocketing gas prices a couple of summers ago led to Congress lifting restrictions on drilling in protected portions of the Outer Continental Shelf, I was shocked. Hearing the "drill, baby, drill" mantra adopted during the 2008 election infuriated me. And when elected leaders like Virginia Gov. Bob McDonald pledged to open their state's fragile coastlines to oil and natural gas development, I was bewildered. How could they not see the environmental and economic dangers? I guess the lessons of Alaska's long ago Exxon-Valdez oil spill were forgotten. I, for one, never want to see Virginia Beach's tourism-based economy threatened by spills or converted from a natural playground into a center for petro-industrial commerce.

Recall that in late March President Obama proposed opening new offshore areas to drilling and announced plans to hold by 2012 a lease sale 50 miles off the coast of Virginia, among other places. On April 29, the federal government published notice of public meetings to be followed by a scoping period through mid June as a prelude to the Virginia lease sale.

But, as quoted in The New York Times today, an Interior Department spokesperson says the agency is "temporarily postponing public meetings on potential offshore activities so that information from the ongoing review of OCS [Outer Continental Shelf] safety issues that the president has directed can be appropriately considered in those meetings."

Great news for Virginia's beach lovers!

Let's hope the Obama administration learns from the Gulf Coast catastrophe that drilling our fragile shores is not worth the risk to natural resources or our coastal economies that depend on a clean and healthy ocean. It's time to break our addiction to oil and other dirty fuels by passing comprehensive clean energy and climate legislation.

Drill, baby, still? No way!

Please take a moment to tell President Obama to impose a moratorium on ALL new offshore drilling.

And here's video of NRDC's Wesley Warren further explaining why drilling is not the answer to our energy needs:

Drill, Baby, Drill? Clean, Baby, Clean!

2010-05-04T15:30:13Z

Talk about having your head stuck in the oil-soaked sand. In the wake of the Gulf Coast oil spill, Sarah Palin recently reiterated her commitment to the slogan 'drill here, drill now', writing on her Facebook page:

"All responsible energy development must be accompanied by strict oversight, but even with strict oversight in the world, accidents still happen. No human endeavor is ever without risk -- whether it's sending a man to the moon or extracting the necessary resources to fuel our civilization."

Tell that to Johnny Nunez, a life-long commercial fisherman in Shell Beach, Louisiana. "This oil is the one thing where there's no recovering," Nunez told the Washington Post. "If we lose the fish and the land, there's no building back. This whole way of life is going. This whole generation is lost. I'm 55 years old, and I might not fish again."

My colleague Apollo Gonzales, who is in southern Louisiana along with other NRDC staff responding to the disaster, profiled another boat captain who explained how BP's spill threatens to destroy not just the local seafood economy but the very fabric of the Gulf Coast's way of life.

As a native Virginian who grew up surfing Virginia Beach and vacationing along North Carolina's nearby Outer Banks, I've long opposed coastal drilling along those placid shores. When skyrocketing gas prices a couple of summers ago led to Congress lifting restrictions on drilling in protected portions of the Outer Continental Shelf, I was shocked. Hearing the "drill, baby, drill" mantra adopted during the 2008 election infuriated me. And when elected leaders like Virginia Gov. Bob McDonald pledged to open their state's fragile coastlines to oil and natural gas development, I was bewildered. How could they not see the environmental and economic dangers? I guess the lessons of Alaska's long ago Exxon-Valdez oil spill were forgotten.

I, for one, never want to see Virginia Beach's tourism-based economy threatened by spills or converted from a natural playground into a center for petro-industrial commerce. It appears now that BP's oil rig explosion and resulting massive spill is causing some coastal drilling advocates to wake up and smell the petroleum fuel washing up on shore along the Gulf Coast. Gov. Crist in Florida has already flipped his position and once again opposes drilling off the Sunshine State's crystal shores.

Although Gov. McDonald is still championing oil and gas development off Virginia's coast, other state officials are no longer as enthusiastic. Virginia Beach Mayor Will Sessoms, who endorsed the push to drill off his coast, now is reportedly "alarmed" by the tragedy unfolding in the Gulf, which he says is a "wake-up call." It's interesting to note that Mayor Sessoms and his fellow city council members passed a resolution supporting coastal drilling because they thought it would actually help tourism by keeping the cost of gas down. But as the Washington Post reports, a study of the Atlantic Ocean by the federal government estimated that the amount oil off Virginia's shores is equal to the amount of oil used in six days and the amount of natural gas would last less than a month.

Why would we as a nation jeopardize our natural heritage and coastal economies for so little energy? In Louisiana alone, the BP spill threatens the state's annual $2 billion seafood industry, as well as its $1 billion per year recreational fishing revenues. And the oil slick is not likely to be cleaned up for years -- possibly shutting down these resources for a generation, as feared by fishermen like Johnny Nunez.

Yet some people refuse to heed the heart-wrenching lessons of the massive disaster unfolding before our eyes. Nor do they recognize the role of high-carbon fossil fuels in our even more pressing climate crisis. In her Facebook post, for example, Palin added: "I continue to believe in it because increased domestic oil production will make us more secure, prosperous, and peaceful nation."

To contact your senators, click here.

This is no time for rhetoric that defies reality. The Gulf Coast catastrophe is a wake-up call that America needs to break our oil addiction and move beyond dirty energy. We must do this by adopting policies that will usher in a new era of clean, renewable energy. That is truly the only way to enhance our national security by reducing our dependence on oil, to ensure economic prosperity by spurring technological innovations that will create jobs, and to address the greatest environmental threat our planet has ever faced.

When it comes to energy, the mantra must be "clean, baby, clean!"

When 'Drill, Baby, Drill' Leads to 'Spill, Baby, Spill'

2008-10-07T20:17:26Z

Last week I wrote about how Congress allowed the 26-year-old federal offshore drilling moratorium to expire, but I noted that the issue is not a done deal.

Lo and behold, Rep. Nick Rahall (D-WV), chair of the House Natural Resources Committee, was quoted in a Greenwire story today that revisiting the lifting of the oil and gas bans will be the first order of business when Congress returns next year.

"We will be conducting extensive oversight hearings on the lifting of moratoria on offshore drilling," Congressman Rahall said.

That's good news and a smart move. It's a safe bet that many people who falsely believe that drilling will lower gas prices will think twice about the issue once they realize that, as it stands now, drill rigs could be located as close as 3 miles off their beloved beaches. That may be okay for folks in petrol-states like Texas and Louisiana, but not necessarily for people who enjoy the pristine beaches - and healthy tourism-based coastal economies - in places like California and up and down the Eastern Seaboard.

Indeed, I doubt that most of those chanting "drill, baby, drill" over the summer were even thinking of the potential consequences - "spill, baby, spill" - for their local shoreline.

Consider what happened during the most recent hurricane that ravaged the Gulf Coast. The Sarasota Herald Tribune reports tremendous spills and infrastructure damage in the wake of Hurricane Ike.

With a storm surge only about half the size that forecasters had predicted, Ike still managed to cripple nearly three dozen offshore platforms while completely destroying 52. (Recall that Hurricanes Katrina and Rita destroyed twice as many platforms, plus over 100 pipelines, in 2005.) Aside from the oil supply disruption and related pollution from the damaged and destroyed oil rigs, Ike spilled an estimated 500,000 gallons of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico and the marshes, bayous and bays of Louisiana and Texas - primarily from onshore facilities, tanks and other oil industry infrastructure.

Just imagine how much worse it likely would have been had the storm surge been 20-feet, as anticipated, instead of 12-feet? Are people really willing to accept that risk off or on the coast of Florida, Virginia or New Jersey? And for so little gain, since expanded offshore drilling is not expected to make a dent in prices at the pump? Let's not forget that hurricanes are an annual occurrence - and they're likely to get bigger and more violent due to global warming - so it should give pause to anyone who wants new drilling to take place off America's shores.

Now I realize that pointing out the seemingly obvious threat of offshore drilling is not the preferred message when it comes to engaging the public in a discussion during this time of energy crisis. But I honestly believe that most people who now indicate stronger support for drilling are dealing in the abstract notion that spills are rare, that technology for extracting oil is safer, or that out of sight is out of mind. Reminding them what's at stake seems like a logical step.

Then again, others may disagree - and prefer that we avoid engaging in a debate over drilling when the conversation should focus on the bigger picture, namely the need to move beyond the role of dirty fossil fuels in favor of delivering on the promise of a clean energy future. My esteemed colleague and NRDC communications expert, Daniel Hinerfeld, certainly thinks so. And I take his point.

But as someone who lives in a coastal state, loves the ocean and abhors the idea of my favorite beach covered in black ooze, I admit that I'm having a hard time letting go of the drilling debate. What about you?

Offshore Drilling? Endless Bummer.

2008-08-15T01:11:58Z

I was lucky enough to grow up not too far from the beach, so I've spent a good part of my life – but not nearly enough – surfing. I rode my first wave as a teenager off the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Since then I’ve enjoyed the swells off the coasts of Virginia, New Jersey, Delaware, Florida, California and Hawaii – not to mention a few exotic locales like Puerto Rico and France.

Over the years I’ve transformed from a perpetually tanned shredder on a 6’ thruster to a paunchy, pasty ‘soul surfer’ on a bulky longboard. I went from a wetsuit-clad all-year surfer shooting house-high curls during hurricanes to a weekend warrior content with thigh-high chop on warm sunny days only. Some kids dreamed of growing up to be firemen, fighter pilots or football stars; I longed to be a pro-surfer, getting paid to travel the world, ride endless waves and live the laidback beach lifestyle.

Of the lucky few who fulfilled my dream, none is more famous or accomplished than Laird Hamilton – big wave rider extraordinaire. Among surfers, Laird is a living legend. And he’s not just an amazing athlete who lives by the sea and makes his living playing in it; Laird is also an environmental advocate who cares deeply about protecting the oceans. Which is why it’s great that he’s speaking out against offshore drilling – a snake oil 'solution' to rising gas prices that will do nothing but perpetuate America’s addiction to oil.

Whether or not you surf, and whether you love the beach or never bother visiting the ocean, the fact is there’s already a heckuva lot of drilling already happening offshore. But with the U.S. only having 2% of the world’s oil reserves, risking more of our precious shorelines, pristine beaches and coastal economies won’t make a dent in prices at the pump.

Totally, dude.

Ask the Candidates, Get Candid Answers

2008-08-13T19:00:53Z

We expect much from our elected leaders yet rarely do we get the opportunity to engage them on the issues we care about. So many members of Congress, yet so little chance to actually ask them where they stand on important issues of the day.

Those running for office and their opponents spend most of the time on the campaign trail speaking to us rather than with us, it seems. They tell us what they believe – or usually just what they think we want to hear.

It’s time all of us got the chance to question those seeking our vote. Now it’s easy to do: www.CandidAnswers.org .

This website is the first-ever online survey that allows users to directly ask their candidates for Congress specific questions about key environmental policy issues. And when they answer, the site serves as an online voter guide so people can compare their candidates’ positions side-by-side. NRDC Action Fund and a host of partners are sponsoring the site. Policy experts at these groups developed the questions, which were reviewed and approved by a bi-partisan panel that included a former Congressman, Rep. Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY). Straightforward questions in search of candid answers – that’s what the website is about!

The only time I actually succeeded in asking a candidate – face to face – his position on an issue I cared about was when I was running the PIRG canvass in Miami back in 1992. I read in the paper that presidential candidate Bill Clinton was going to be in town addressing Democratic state legislators at their annual conference.

At the time we were working to prevent drilling off the Florida coast (déjà vu!) and trying to drum up support for a proposal in Congress to buy back the federal leases held by some oil companies in the eastern Gulf of Mexico. I drove a few volunteers over to the convention site and we quietly slipped into the ballroom. Our plan was simple: spread out and try to position ourselves along the receiving line after Gov. Clinton finished his speech. Whoever got to him would ask him a question about drilling.

I worked my way up to the front of the audience, against the wall near a set of flag poles. Near the end of Clinton’s speech I saw a young campaign aide staging a group of military veterans near the flags. It seemed probable that the governor would head toward them for a photo op. Sure enough, after he finished talking Clinton offered perfunctory handshakes to a few officials below the podium and then strode briskly toward the old soldiers.

Just before he got to them I moved in and reached my hand over the velvet rope cordoning off the audience. The governor shook it – but I didn’t let go. I looked him in the eye and asked our set question: “Governor, if elected president would you support the plan to protect Florida’s coast by having the government buy back federal drilling leases in the Gulf?”

He smiled at me, paused, then with a slight shake of his head waved off a staffer approaching to hustle him away from me. At this point it seemed that all eyes in the room were focused on our exchange. Still smiling, Clinton asked, “What does Senator [Connie] Mack say about that?” I replied that the senator supported the buy-back plan. Without missing a beat he answered: “Then I would definitely support buying back those leases.”

Clinton then moved quickly on to those vets. But all of sudden I was surrounded by local reporters and a few TV cameras, all wanting to know what we discussed, why I asked, and who I was. The next day stories mentioned our exchange and one of the local news stations aired a brief interview with me about our campaign. And sure enough, after Clinton won the presidency the buy-back plan won approval in Congress.

Getting the chance to ask the future president a serious question was a unique thrill I’ll never forget. But like most people, I can forget getting such a lucky opportunity again. That's the beauty of CandidAnswers -- it enables everyone to seek answers from our congressional candidates. It's super easy to ask them via email and a convenient way for them to respond.

You ask, they answer. Simple. We hope you'll try it!