Opinion Piece on the 40th Anniversary of the Santa Barbara Oil Spill
Assemblymember Pedro Nava
January 28, 2009
Today marks the 40th anniversary of the Santa Barbara Oil Spill. On Jan. 28, 1969, a blowout on a Unocal rig six miles off the coast of California spilled 3 million gallons of oil into the ocean. Oil spoiled 35 miles of coastline from Rincon Point to Goleta and tarred Anacapa, Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, and San Miguel islands. The blackened corpses of oil-soaked birds, seals, and dolphins washed up on our beaches. Citizens were outraged, and the modern environmental movement was born.
Although we have come a long way since that tragic day, recent events indicate that some have forgotten our history. At this critical time, we must remember that the choices we make today will decide whether our shoreline and coastal oceans are exploited or protected for years to come. This is especially true for Santa Barbara. Drilling off the Santa Barbara coastline carries with it the same significance as a violation of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
In 2008, the "Drill Here, Drill Now" crowd caused a dramatic shift in offshore oil drilling policy. In July 2008, former President Bush repealed the Executive Order imposed by his father in 1990. In September 2008, Congress didn´t renew the moratorium on drilling for oil and gas on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), opening up federal waters off of the California coast for drilling for the first time since the 1981 moratorium.
Two weeks ago, in the dying days of the Bush administration, the Department of Interior took advantage of these changes to propose that over 130 million acres of federal waters off the coast of Humboldt, Mendocino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles, Riverside and San Diego Counties be opened up for drilling leases. One of the proposed leases would require slant drilling into the Santa Barbara Ecological Preserve.
Without a swift and decisive response from Congress and the Obama administration, there is real concern that new leasing will occur. However, there is reason to be hopeful. Congressional Representatives Thompson (D-St. Helena) and Woolsey (D-Petaluma) have introduced bills that would ban oil and gas drilling off the Northern California coast. Others will follow suit. These efforts should be supported until broader, more comprehensive protections can be put in place.
While we have reason to be optimistic that the Obama administration will better protect coastal resources, we must remain vigilant to attempts to seduce us into accepting oil drilling of our coasts.
California's ocean waters are home to four important national marine sanctuaries, areas of special ecological, scientific, and aesthetic importance that are particularly sensitive to the impacts of oil development. In addition, the protection of California's spectacular 1,100 mile coastline is of the utmost importance to a number of our state's coastal and ocean dependent industries. Tourism and commercial fishing contributed over $50 billion to California's economy in 2003. California´s industry and citizens cannot afford these risks.
Expanded development of fossil fuels is counterproductive to efforts to stimulate the growth of green jobs, to reduce global warming emissions, and expand the use of renewable energy. It makes no sense to think we will end offshore oil drilling by having more offshore oil drilling.
In the four decades since the now infamous spill, we´ve made significant progress in protecting our coast, but recent setbacks should serve to remind us that we must continue to fight against increased oil development in both state and federal waters. We need to keep in mind the lessons of the Santa Barbara Oil spill and ensure that events such as that remain where they should be…in the past.
Although we have come a long way since that tragic day, recent events indicate that some have forgotten our history. At this critical time, we must remember that the choices we make today will decide whether our shoreline and coastal oceans are exploited or protected for years to come. This is especially true for Santa Barbara. Drilling off the Santa Barbara coastline carries with it the same significance as a violation of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
In 2008, the "Drill Here, Drill Now" crowd caused a dramatic shift in offshore oil drilling policy. In July 2008, former President Bush repealed the Executive Order imposed by his father in 1990. In September 2008, Congress didn´t renew the moratorium on drilling for oil and gas on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), opening up federal waters off of the California coast for drilling for the first time since the 1981 moratorium.
Two weeks ago, in the dying days of the Bush administration, the Department of Interior took advantage of these changes to propose that over 130 million acres of federal waters off the coast of Humboldt, Mendocino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles, Riverside and San Diego Counties be opened up for drilling leases. One of the proposed leases would require slant drilling into the Santa Barbara Ecological Preserve.
Without a swift and decisive response from Congress and the Obama administration, there is real concern that new leasing will occur. However, there is reason to be hopeful. Congressional Representatives Thompson (D-St. Helena) and Woolsey (D-Petaluma) have introduced bills that would ban oil and gas drilling off the Northern California coast. Others will follow suit. These efforts should be supported until broader, more comprehensive protections can be put in place.
While we have reason to be optimistic that the Obama administration will better protect coastal resources, we must remain vigilant to attempts to seduce us into accepting oil drilling of our coasts.
California's ocean waters are home to four important national marine sanctuaries, areas of special ecological, scientific, and aesthetic importance that are particularly sensitive to the impacts of oil development. In addition, the protection of California's spectacular 1,100 mile coastline is of the utmost importance to a number of our state's coastal and ocean dependent industries. Tourism and commercial fishing contributed over $50 billion to California's economy in 2003. California´s industry and citizens cannot afford these risks.
Expanded development of fossil fuels is counterproductive to efforts to stimulate the growth of green jobs, to reduce global warming emissions, and expand the use of renewable energy. It makes no sense to think we will end offshore oil drilling by having more offshore oil drilling.
In the four decades since the now infamous spill, we´ve made significant progress in protecting our coast, but recent setbacks should serve to remind us that we must continue to fight against increased oil development in both state and federal waters. We need to keep in mind the lessons of the Santa Barbara Oil spill and ensure that events such as that remain where they should be…in the past.
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