In the last week before the federal announcement to open all coasts to oil drilling, the current administration eliminated the fund paid by oil companies to pay for clean up. The fine was 9cents a barrel but evidently too much for the oil industry to pay. The meager safety precautions that were regulated to prevent another Horizon disaster was also removed days before this announcement. (11 men lost their lives at Deepwater Horizon disaster and not one executive was jailed. Shortcuts were taken for monetary gains and not safety for workers or any consideration of the environment.)
Our coasts need help now! Below is a template for comments by that can be used against this illegal and short sighted decision to allow offshore drilling which all governors on both coasts oppose. Please copy and paste the comments and send to regulators and your representatives. February 8th is the only hearing in our state. If you are a group or citizen, just delete the blue portion, copy and paste. We urge you to send comments as with the FCC Net Neutrality public opposition, comments were hijacked by Russian hackers (444,938 identified as Russian hackers) to appear that the citizens approved which they did not (83% opposed) with 99% wanting stronger rules. The federal government has shortened the period for public input, please take a minute and get comments out and/or call your representative.
To send online: https://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=BOEM-2017-0074
Copy and send or call:
Rep. Jared Huffman: huffman.house.gov (707-981-8967)
Rep. Mike Thompson: mikethompson.house.gov (707-542-7182
Sen. Kamala Harris: harris.senate.gov (415-355-9041)
Sen. Dianne Feinstein: feinstein.senate.gov (415-393-0707
Whereas, the Draft Proposed Five-Year OCS Leasing Program is in violation of the Endangered Species Act, the Coastal Zone
Management Act, the National Marine Sanctuaries Act, and the jurisdiction of the Marine Mammal Protection Act over proposed
hydrocarbon exploration using damaging seismic airgun surveys; and Whereas, the Draft Proposed Five-Year OCS Leasing Program fails to
offer a public comment period of adequate duration and scope to enable impacted communities to provide important input on the
proposal, thereby curtailing requisite opportunity for citizen input; and Whereas, concurrent with the proposed adoption of the Draft Proposed
Five-Year OCS Leasing Program, the Administration is also calling for significantly weakening critical well-safety and blowout-preventer
inspection measures necessary to bring about enhanced worker safety and ecosystem protections in a manner consistent with lessons learned
from the tragic April 20, 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon offshore oil spill disaster; and Whereas, BOEM, in promulgating and circulating the Draft Proposed
Five-Year OCS Leasing Program, has violated the Administrative Procedures Act, the National Environmental Policy Act (including but
not limited to 40 CFR 1501.7 and 43 CFR 46.235) , the OCSLAA (including but not limited to 30 CFR part 556) , and multiple other federal and state statutes; and
Whereas, BOEM has ignored the climate impacts of carbon emissions from proposed hydrocarbon exploration, development, and potential
transport on the OCS, and Whereas, BOEM’s proposed drilling plans disregard California’s coastal-dependent economy and the state’s policies to protect it; and
Now, hereby be it resolved that the County/City of _______ adopts this resolution commenting as requested on the Draft Proposed Five-Year
OCS Leasing Program for 2019 through 2024; and Be it further resolved that these comments and other relevant supporting documentation be duly mailed to arrive prior to
March 9, 2018 in an envelope labeled “Comments for the 2019-2024 Draft Proposed National Oil and Gas Leasing Program” to Ms. Kelly
Hammerle, Chief, National Oil and Gas Leasing Program Development and Coordination Branch, Leasing Division, Office of Strategic
Resources, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (VAM-LD), 45600 Woodland Road, Sterling, VA 20166-9216 and/or be submitted via the
online portal provided at https://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=BOEM-2017-0074. Comments may also be submitted in person at one of the
public meetings noticed at https://www.BOEM.gov/National-OCS-Program which includes only one California hearing to be held in
Sacramento on February 8, 2018
.