New offshore oil drilling proposed off California coast by Trump administration

[Rhiannon12866]

The Trump administration on Thursday proposed the largest expansion of offshore oil and gas drilling in U.S. history, releasing a plan to allow new drilling off the coasts of Northern, Central and Southern California, along with most of the East Coast.

“Today we’re embarking on a new path for energy dominance in America,” U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke said during a conference call with reporters.

The plan would allow oil and gas companies to lease 47 areas off America’s coastlines from 2019 to 2024, totaling up to 90 percent of the offshore areas where oil drilling is potentially allowed. Of those, seven of those areas would be in the Pacific Ocean — two off Northern California, two off Central California, two off Southern California and one off Washington state and Oregon.

The draft proposal Thursday did not include specific maps showing exactly which areas would be offered for drilling. But it marks the first time since 1984 — when President Ronald Reagan’s Interior secretary, James Watt, sought to drill off Big Sur and the coasts of San Mateo and Sonoma counties — that any new offshore drilling leases would be offered for sale in California.


Much more: https://www.mercurynews.com/2018/01/04/new-offshore-oil-drilling-proposed-off-california-coast-by-trump-administration/



The Trump administration on Thursday proposed allowing new offshore oil drilling in most of America’s coastal areas, including northern, southern and central California areas like Big Sur.

[MFM008]

1. I see a lawsuit coming their way.

Asshats.

[Rhiannon12866]

2. He's already upset Republican allies in Florida - I can't imagine California will sit still for this

[mr_lebowski]

3. This needs to be parsed very closely ...

The most important point being ... offering leases is not the same as drilling.

Next most important is 'the offshore areas where oil drilling is potentially allowed'.

That's a cagey phrase, so bottom-line, if they're not actually opening any NEW regions to actual DRILLING, then this is not really anything new.

It's just some bullshit meant to upset us liberals, make his knuckle-dragging base go 'YAY! WE LOVE YOU DONALD'.

And for some reason, Mercury is throwing in names like 'Watt' and 'Big Sur' and 'Sonoma' ... perhaps without them really meaning anything in the practical sense.

[Rhiannon12866]

4. Thanks for this!

Though just the prospect has already provoked outrage from both Democratic West Coast governors and senators.

Dan Haifley, a Santa Cruz resident who led efforts in the 1980s to pass many of those ordinances, said Thursday he thinks the Trump administration is proposing a massive expansion of new drilling so that in the end it will appear reasonable if it exempts some areas. The draft plan will be published in the Federal Register on Tuesday, with a 60-day public comment period to follow.

[mr_lebowski]

6. What that means is "60-day Russian Bot comment period to follow." (n/t)

[Rhiannon12866]

7. This is the first time drilling has been proposed since 1969

So I'm hoping that enough of our reps will step up - bots and RWers notwithstanding.

[tirebiter]

5. They'll have to take on Leon Panetta

Not gonna happen.