Delegates from Santa Barbara County recently attended a meeting with U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar in San Francisco to talk about the natural resources of the Outer Continental Shelf and, more specifically, the future of offshore drilling.
The meeting was one of four regional meetings around the country held by the Department of the Interior to “solicit the best information possible about an offshore energy plan.”
In addition to examining renewable energy sources—such as wind and wave generators—discussions also covered traditional sources of energy from the shelf.
Speaking out against new oil and gas exploration were Santa Barbara City Councilmember Das Williams, along with members of the Environmental Defense Center, Santa Barbara Channelkeeper, Get Oil Out!, the Sierra Club-Los Padres Chapter, and representatives from the offices of supervisors Janet Wolf (2nd District) and Salud Carbajal (1st District) and Congresswoman Lois Capps.
“The people of the Central Coast are serious about alternative energy, both producing it and using it,” Williams said. “Looking at a wave of new oil leasing is a step in the wrong direction.”
According to Santa Barbara Channelkeeper’s website, there are currently 20 platforms producing oil and gas in the Santa Barbara Channel, 15 in federal waters, and one in state waters offshore of Santa Barbara with another four off the shores of Ventura County.
This article appears in Apr 23-30, 2009.
