Viewpoints differ regarding drilling for oil 3-10 miles offshore
VENICE, FL — State lawmakers are considering a bill that would lift the ban on drilling off the Florida coast. The House has already passed the bill, but the Senate has yet to vote. It could allow drilling as close as three miles from Florida’s beaches.
There is no shortage of opinions. ”I think it’s time we start drilling,” says Venice resident John Degon. Fellow Venetian Alexandra Merton doesn’t agree. ”My first thought is I can’t believe they are actually going to do this.”
There is plenty of debate regarding the possible environmental impacts, the amount of jobs it could create, the money it would raise, or it’s impact on tourism. We’ll get to those this week. Today we’re focusing on simply the view.
“This is the worst legislation we’ve seen as far as oil drilling in concerned.” Glenn Compton with the environmental watchdog group Manasota-88 says it’s hard to imagine oil rigs up and down the coast close to shore. “Nobody has ever proposed it this close before. It’s always been talked about as 125 miles or 150 miles off shore.”
“It will be a spot on the horizon you wont even notice it.” Rich Swier is the publisher with www.redcounty.com. He believes the state needs to become energy independent and it’s time to drill, no matter how close to shore. ”Give me a break, it’s bunk. You being able to look out there and see an oil rig. You know what, if you don’t like that then move. Look in another direction. How about that?”
Backers of the plan want to drill between three and ten miles offshore. While it’s not a perfect example as a reference point, the Venice fishing pier is exactly three miles from the South Jetty. Many of the people we talked to say they were under the impression three miles meant they couldn’t see it. While the pier may be bigger then a rig, it’s far from out of sight. “Who wants to see that? You come down here for the pretty views, not to see an oil rig,” says Merton.
Even those for drilling have reserves about it being so close. “I don’t think I would like that. I would rethink that position. But if it was five, seven, twelve miles out then I’m all for it,” says Degon.
Boaters will tell you the coast is often still visible from ten.
Compton says it’s more than the rigs. ”The other thing being that close in is we would have to look at impacts from pipelines that would probably encroach our coast. We would have to look at impacts from oil refineries. Also the transportation of the oil if it is found.”
Swier says giving up the view is a small price for the positives drilling off the coast can bring. “I’m more interested in my son and my grandchildren having a prosperous state of Florida with tremendous business opportunities. Energy is a huge industry.”
The Florida Senate is running out of time in the current legislative session. They likely won’t vote until next year.
Thursday we will take a look at some of the possible financial and environmental impacts drilling off the coast could have.
[...] Viewpoints differ regarding drilling for oil 3-10 miles offshore … [...]
[...] Viewpoints differ regarding drilling for oil 3-10 miles offshore … [...]
As a Louisiana native with 40-plus years of experience on & under coastal waters here and abroad, I can make some firsthand observations. As a fisherman and sport diver I can attest that the ecosystem far from suffers from the presence of oil pltforms. Louisiana has thriving sealife. Platforms become mini-reefs and enhance the food chain. Pollution is MUCH more strictly monitored in the Oilfield than it is in regard to sportfishing boats& commercial ships.
Yes, there have been spill incidents around the world. That gets a LOT of press. Numerous other blights on our environment are kept in shadows by protective elements of business and government though.
Rather than attack any other situations or polluters, I will point out that there are strict(and getting stricter) guidelines imposed on drilling, production and transportation of hydrocarbons. I have been involved in Oilfield Diving since 1969 and to this day, I am abreast of government regulations.
Since this is on the cDiver network, I encourage all of you to learn and then share the truth about potential problems resulting from drilling. People need petroleum and all the products derived from it. Concerns for coastal protection are admirable, but opponents to drilling tend to be underinformed or obstinate regarding valid concerns which must be kept in perspective.
Environmental protection should continue to be a priority, but not at the expense of weakening our nation over the coming decades.
It is true, John, what you say. The offshore oil business has come so far from being a crappy, spill-and-forget-it industry to a responsible member of the maritime industry. Since Captain Hazelwood ran the Exxon Valdex aground in 1989, every drop of oil is accounted for in the US. How often do you hear of a spill now? Sure, a little gets in the water once in a while, but the pleasure boaters do more exvironmental damage than our industry.
-d