We now live in an age where the environment and the economy seem like they cannot seem to live in harmony. We paint each other as money grubbers or tree huggers and never the twain shall meet. But in Florida our sandy beaches and tourism dollars go hand in hand. And we know from the BP Gulf disaster, ruin your environment and the economy will swiftly go down with it.
The Department of Interior and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management are hosting a series of public meetings up the Atlantic seaboard, inviting public comment regarding their intent “to permit geological and geophysical activities in support of oil and gas exploration and development…in the mid-and south Atlantic Planning area.” You probably didn’t hear about this. It was not announced in our local papers.
Whether you look at this proposal from an economic or environmental perspective, drilling and seismic exploration for oil and gas are simply not worth the risks and impacts, expected or otherwise.
As surfers, we can look at this issue from a selfish (but totally valid) vantage of simply wanting a clean ocean to surf in.
For those who cite that jobs and economic needs necessitate
drilling: Tourism is the number one economic engine in Florida.
In 2010, tourists spent $62.7 Billion in our state. There are
1,013,000 people directly employed by the tourism industry and one of our
biggest attractions is our 1,197 miles of coastline. We can be sure
the visitors to our beaches come to enjoy the sand, sun, water and
wildlife. They don’t come here to see oil tankers and well platforms.
At the public hearing in Jacksonville, the BOEM staff attempted to explain the methods of
geological and geophysical exploration for oil and gas off the
Atlantic Coast. They described the expected environmental impacts,
which you can read about in great detail here:
http://www.boem.gov/oil-and-gas-energy-program/GOMR/GandG.aspx
The primary and most controversial method of testing is the seismic airgun
survey. BOEM just halted this type of surveying in the Gulf after
dolphin strandings. This is an extremely loud impulse of compressed
air that goes off every 10 to 12 seconds. We don’t know all of the
impacts but we do know that they disrupt whales and
dolphins, as well as fish and other marine life. Our coast is critical habitat for the
endangered North Atlantic Right Whale. There are only 400 left and this is their calving grounds. The impact on marine mammals under Alternatives A and B was expected to be “Moderate”.
BOEM is recommending a limited time area closure from seismic testing during the whales’
calving season, and for sea turtles nesting (but only in Brevard county for some odd reason).
Alternatives were presented at the public hearing; Alternative B extends the time area closures. Alternative C calls for
no seismic surveying or oil exploration, but still allows for research for sea
bed mining and alternative energy research.
Alternative C is the best option for Florida and the East Coast.
I don’t want to see what happened on the Gulf happen here. Drilling for oil is
simply not worth the risk. To surfers and humans, the ocean is
invaluable. To me, it is more important than cheap gasoline. I would
rather walk or bike to the sea and know I can still get in,
and eat the food from it.
This may be a classic “Not in my backyard” position but what better
place to start than our own backyard?
Indeed, it is not our reliance on foreign oil that is the problem, it is our reliance on all oil.
I humbly ask that you take some time to familiarize yourself with this proposal and the vast impacts it could have on our home. Make your voice heard officially and on the record.
The public may submit written comments by email to ggeis@boem.gov
or by mail to:
“Comments on the Draft PEIS for Atlantic G&G Activities”
Mr. Gary D.
Goeke, Chief, Regional Assessment Section
Office of Environment
(MS5410)
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
Gulf of Mexico OCR Region
1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard
New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394
Resources:
Read the full Draft Environmental Impact statement here
Official Department of Interior Press Release
Florida Tourism Stats
Agency stops seismic tests; worries about dolphins
Oil from Deepwater Horizon spill still causing damage in gulf 2 years later, scientists find
