Thompson Blasts Bush Admin About Drilling

I agree in part that off-shore oil drilling may be a problem and there is the chance of an oil spill leaving a long undetermined list of environmental damage, as well as human health issues.

I feel that oil available to supply our needs for 100 days is not worth the risk to the area's environment or health of the people.I do have a concern with a most recent Bill Thompson has introduced (I believe it is H.R. 204) about banning oil drilling off the northcoast. My concern is the wording of the complete Bill in regards to the development of alternative energy from the ocean in the area (Wave, hydro, etc.).

I have read about more jobs being made available to the local population, but how is this true? I understand that jobs on an oil well platform are specialized. Do we have a population of people here trained to work on a drilling platform? Or, even individuals here willing to?

Most of the workforce will be brought in from the outside, as it was for Pelican Bay in Crescent City. Yes, local businesses benefitted, but by how much in the long run?

I don't believe we should totally ban oil drilling, but I feel we should concentrate more on alternative energy sources that are available or are being developed first. More needs to be done in regards to allowing drilling, we don't know the effects.

http://www.times-standard.com/localnews/ci_11478433

"Fred Mangels wrote: We've been drilling oil, onshore and offshore, for decades, Skippy. We know the effects. We had a big spill off of Santa Barbara decades ago. Yes, it was a mess, but it was cleaned up and the area is thriving now. It has been for sometime. It is considered a prime place to live by many."

You are correct Fred, we do know the effects and the outcome in other areas. But, we should not take these incidents as truth to what will happen in our area.

As mentioned in the news article, there is one of only four upwelling ecosystems in the world. This upwelling brings nutrient rich water from the ocean floor to the surface and is vital to maintaining the fisheries that support the state's $200 million fishing industry. It probably supports much more than the fishing industry, but is not mentioned.

Every part of the world there are different ecosystems (Why are we rich in Coastal Redwoods?) that depends on various needs for life. Should we believe that since it is now okay for Santa Barbara, it will be okay for our area? Is the ecosystem the same in Santa Barbara as it is here?

I am not an environmentalist or a biologist, I just feel we need to know more about how oil drilling will effect our area, with or without an oil spill.