Locals will join state leaders in standing against oil and gas exploration off the coast
Ocean Shores Mayor Crystal Dingler will join a number of state and local leaders who will be keynote speakers in Olympia on Monday, in opposition to the Trump Administration’s proposal to open coastal waters to oil and gas drilling and exploration.
The event starts at 1:30 p.m. just before the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) open house on the controversial proposal at the Olympia Red Lion Hotel, 2300 Evergreen Park Dr. SW.
Dingler will join state Attorney General Bob Ferguson, Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz, Mark Ballo of Brady’s Oysters and Johannes Ariens of Westport among others to “voice their opposition to a federal proposal that would open up 90 percent of the nation’s coastline — including Washington’s — to oil and gas drilling. The proposal, issued by the Department of Interior in January, threatens Washington’s fishing, tourism and recreation economy valued at hundreds of millions of dollars,” said a joint news release on Friday.
The BOEM open house was rescheduled after one in Tacoma last month had to be cancelled because of an unspecified threat. The speakers will be in a room adjacent to the BOEM meeting, which starts at 3 p.m., and they are gathering prior to the open house because “the government will not allow for public testimony, only written comments,” the news release said.
It marks the only scheduled public meeting on the proposal in the state.
Ocean Shores and Westport have been two of the coastal cities to pass resolutions against the oil and gas exploration proposal. Dingler, in prepared remarks for the first scheduled BOEM event, noted that tourism is Ocean Shores’ primary business “and it depends on clean and safe beaches where families can bring their children.”
Dingler called it “risky business” to put out-of-state business interests ahead of local, marine dependant business.
“We have a lot to lose. Our neighbors to the north and south are in jeopardy as well,” Dingler wrote. “The West Coast $56 billion ocean economy supports a half million jobs in hotels, restaurants, small shops, charter and commercial fishing boats, and the rest of us who depend on the ocean economy.”
Others scheduled to speak on Monday include State Sen. Kevin Ranker, Kyle Deerkop of Pacific Seafoods, and Jess Helsley of the Coast Salmon Partnership.
On Jan. 4, 2018, the Trump administration released the 2019-2024 draft plan to drill for oil and gas in U.S. waters. Washington officials, including Gov. Jay Inslee, U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, and U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer, all voiced their opposition, joining coastal leaders in urging the Department of the Interior “to protect their economies and communities. The Pacific Coast has been closed to new drilling for over 3 decades, with the last federal lease sales taking place in 1984. Commercial, tribal, and sport fishing, tourism and recreation businesses are threatened by the prospect of increased risks of an oil spill.”
Public comments on the Draft Proposed Program can be made online through March 9. After the comments are received and environmental reviews conducted, the Proposed Program will be released, triggering another comment period. The Final Proposed Program is expected by 2019. The current draft proposed plan includes one lease sale off Washington and Oregon.
By: Angelo Bruscas
Source: The Daily World