Big-C hears opinions on drilling
Representatives of oil and conservation square off at meeting
By BOB McCLURE
| Article published on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2009 |
|
 |
BELLEAIR BEACH – Members of the Barrier Islands Governmental Council were expecting to hear a spirited debate Oct. 28 between differing sides on the offshore oil drilling issue.
David Mica, a spokesman for the Florida Petroleum Council, was scheduled to face off against Phil Compton, a regional representative of the Sierra Club.
However, two days before, Mica’s staff contacted Big-C president Jim Lawrence to say Mica would be unable to attend.
“One of the reasons given was the fact that we (Big-C) recently passed a resolution against offshore oil drilling and he didn’t feel like it would be useful to participate,” said Lawrence. “The other was the fact that there’s a forum at Florida State University (Oct. 28) that he needs to be at.”
In Mica’s place was Tom Rask, a retired oil executive formerly in charge of offshore installations in the North Sea, who now lives in unincorporated Seminole.
Both Compton and Rask made good points. But Compton clearly delivered a stronger case why oil drilling should not be allowed in the eastern Gulf of Mexico.
Both also agreed that renewable energy is the future of the country and strides need to be made in that realm.
Among Compton’s primary points was offshore drilling is not going to lower oil prices or create additional revenue or jobs for the state.
“We’re hearing estimates of seven times more the revenue than they make in Alabama and Louisiana,” said Compton. “As far as additional jobs with pipelines and refineries, those jobs are already there.”
Compton also said technology now being used by the oil industry isn’t safe and pointed to a giant oil slick in the Pacific Ocean that was formed following an Aug. 21 oil rig blowout off the coast of Australia.
“We’re being told the same new technology (as used in Australia) is foolproof,” said Compton. “Now we’re being told ‘well, that’s not exactly the same technology as we’ll use here and we’ll do it much better’ (in the Gulf of Mexico).”
The slick, now 2,500 square miles, is 462 miles off Australia. Efforts to control it have failed.
“If it happened there, it can happen here,” said Compton.
“I don’t want oil on our beaches and I don’t want environmental disasters,” said Rask. “Conservation is important and I support conservation.”
Rask said Norway is a perfect example of how well the marriage between the oil industry and nature can exist.
“What do you think of when you think of Norway?” he asked. “You think of fiords and beautiful landscape.”
But Norway produces 2.4 million barrels of oil per day, he said, combining oil with nature in concert.
Compton pointed to a 1993 oil spill off Pinellas County that affected 14 miles of coastline and impacted the tourist economy for two years. Rask disputed it, noting that the accident involved a marine carrier, as opposed to the oil industry, and the tourism industry recovered.
“Some geologists say it’s more likely we’ll find natural gas (in the Gulf of Mexico),” said Rask. “We won’t know until testing begins.”
Compton noted that Pinellas County is federally-protected preserve, which will keep drilling rigs from being built offshore but other areas north are not protected. Any type of oil rig accident or leakage would still affect Pinellas.
“The currents in the Gulf would affect us,” he said. “Those same currents would move a slick past the Keys and up the East Coast. Within a week, the East Coast of Florida would get what we get here.”
Compton said the long-term solution will be for the U.S. to find energy alternatives to oil, such as wind energy that is quickly picking up speed in China.
“We’re on the verge of a huge change in the way we get around,” Compton said. “Florida Power and Light is No. 1 in the U.S. in producing wind energy and this is huge in producing energy for hybrid cars.”
State Sen. Dennis Jones (R-Seminole) said the whole concept of offshore oil drilling doesn’t make sense.
“To say drilling is not a dirty business is to say chickens don’t smell,” said Jones. “To put this (in the Gulf of Mexico) just is crazy.”
Jones said the jobs claim is false and the issue has a long way to go.
Proponents of offshore drilling are hoping to get a bill filed next session that will open the door for offshore oil drilling in state waters up to 10 miles offshore. Thus far no bill has been filed but many believe it’s only a matter of time with the amount of money that is being floated around Tallahassee by pro-oil lobbyists.
“This issue has got a long way to go,” said Jones. “I can tell you this issue is not going to be a high-priority item. It’s not going to drive jobs.”
State Rep. Jim Frishe (R-Belleair Bluffs) said anti-drilling interests are heavily out-financed by big oil interests but believes the issue can be defeated.
“They’re spreading a lot of money around up there,” Frishe said. “Nobody knows where it is coming from but we’re certain what the intent is,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of allies around the state and I think we can add some rationality to this issue.”
|
Article published on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2009
Copyright © Tampa Bay Newspapers: All rights reserved. |
