http://www.pnj.com/article/20100209/NEWS01/2090315/1006/NEWS01/Hands-span-coast-against-offshore-oil-drilling

Pensacola News Journal

Hands span coast against offshore oil drilling
Opponents gathering across state to fight oil, gas exploration
BILL COTTERELL * NEWS JOURNAL CAPITAL BUREAU * FEBRUARY 9, 2010

The statewide “Hands Across the Sand” demonstration opposes proposals to permit oil and gas exploration in the Gulf of Mexico. An industry spokesman said Monday the opponents are unfamiliar with cleaner new technology.

“The metaphor of joining hands goes much farther than what’s happening on Saturday,” said Dave Rauschkolb, a Seaside restaurateur who has spent about four months working on the project. “We can beat this in the Legislature if they hear the message of Floridians. We hope to make this a very unpopular thing for any member to vote for.”

Rauschkolb and environmental groups and coastal businesses fear tourism and fishing would be hurt by offshore rigs.

Using social-network sites, they arranged groups in almost every city and county along the coastlines to get like-minded people to the beach on Saturday, most wearing black, to symbolize an oil spill, for a hand-holding protest.

Nobody is estimating how many will turnout in any area, but the idea is to make the opposition highly visible.

“I’m hoping for more than 100 out here,” said Chasidy Hobbs of Pensacola Beach, who works with Emerald Coastkeeper, an environmental group. “We believe the economic benefits that can be gained from oil drilling are nowhere near the economic benefits that Florida reaps already from our coastline.”

Despite a surge of support in the Florida House last session, when a bill authorizing the governor and Cabinet to grant drilling leases was passed but stalled in the Senate, opponents are fired up and confident for the session starting March 2.

Dave Mica, executive director of the Florida Petroleum Council, said House Speaker-designate Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park, remains an enthusiastic advocate of authorizing future leasing. Senate President Jeff Atwater, R-North Palm Beach, has told committees in his chamber to make a thorough study of tax benefits, jobs and environmental implications of drilling, effectively slowing the proposal.
“We hope we can at least create the framework legally for the state to process leases,” said Mica. “There will always be some detractors, but we believe they’re not looking at what the industry is doing now, in terms of being able to protect the coast.”

Florida Today
Editorial
“Hands Across The Sand”

Florida Today
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
 
The aggressive push for oil drilling off Florida’s shores is backed by a coalition of powerful, well financed business interests – Florida Energy Associates. They are working with out of state oil interests seeking to drill for oil and gas off the coast of the Florida. They’ve hired professionals, the best and most influential money can buy. Among those professionals are former aides to Governors Jeb Bush and Lawton Chiles who both opposed oil derricks. Now these same people are trying to convince us that dirty and dangerous offshore oil drilling is now clean and desirable.
 
We’ve had a sensible moratorium against offshore oil drilling for the past 20 years and since 2002 Florida tax payers have paid $127 million dollars to oil companies to buy up their offshore leases because clean, sandy beaches are our greatest asset. Listen to the Texans who carry solvents in their beach bags. For once, let this be a case where the one with the deepest pockets didn’t win. Let them spend their $$$ exploring clean energy alternatives.
 
On Saturday February 13th “The Citizens of Florida will have an opportunity to show their opposition to oil drilling as close as 3 to 10 miles off our coast.” Hands Across the Sand is a movement “made of people of all walks of life and will cross political affiliations. This movement is not about politics; it is about protection of our shoreline, our tourism, our valuable properties and our way of life. Let us share our knowledge, energies and passion for protecting our waterways and beaches from the devastating effects of oil drilling.”
http://www.handsacrossthesand.com/index.php
 
Join fellow Brevard County residents on Saturday Feb. 13th at 12:30 pm (rain or shine) at Lori Wilson Park in Cocoa Beach for this important Statewide event. Bring your friends and family to show how much you love our beaches and want them protected. We will participate in a beach clean up and at 1:00pm form a line, and join hands in the sand for 10 minuets against oil drilling in our coastal waters. Participants are encouraged to wear black to represent “tar balls”.
 
Lori Wilson Park is located about a mile and a half south of S.R. 520 on A1A in Cocoa Beach. This is south of the Cocoa Beach Pier. There is no fee to park.
 
INFO: http://www.handsacrossthesand.com/index.php
CONTACT: Linda Behret lindyb@cfl.rr.com or 321-639-7302.
 
Supporting local organizations include the Space Coast Progressive Alliance SpaceCoastrogressiveAlliance.org and Brevard NOW BrevardNOW.org.

Local opponents of offshore oil drilling in Florida are joining a statewide protest to protect beaches in the Sunshine State.  Hands Across the Sand will take place Saturday on hundreds of Florida’s beaches, as concerned people dressed in black will link their arms along the shoreline in a silent and peaceful protest against oil drilling.

Local environmentalist Erika Biddle is organizing the event at several Florida Keys beaches, and is asking anyone who wants to protect the beaches from the risks of oil spills to wear black and head to a local beach at 1 p.m. Saturday.  “This is not a political thing because it concerns us all,” Biddle said Friday. “Look what the oil spills did in New Orleans after Katrina and in Australia. I would love for people to understand what it means.” 

Proposed state legislation would allow oil drilling to take place within three miles of Florida’s coast, although it would be prohibited inside the marine sanctuary that surrounds the Florida Keys.   That protection is not enough, said Billy Causey, regional manager of the National Marine Sanctuary Program and former superintendent of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.

Drilling in the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico could have disastrous consequences in the Keys because the Loop Current constantly brings gulf water into the local marine environment.   “Any short-term benefit would not be worth the long-term risks,” Causey told The Citizen last year. Florida waterways support 5.8 million jobs and account for 79 percent of the state’s economy, he said. “If there was a spill, you would never make that revenue back. Can we really risk losing $562 billion per year?”

People like Biddle are saying, “No.”   The Hands Across the Sand protest started with a Florida restaurateur, she said.   “Now thousands of people are involved,” she said. “We can’t fight big oil with money, so we can only do it with numbers.”    Participating Keys beaches currently include Higgs Beach, Smathers Beach, Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park, Anne’s Beach, Bahia Honda State Park, Sombrero Beach and John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. A line of protesters will hold hands in solidarity for about 15 minutes.

For more information, go to http://www.handsacrossthesand.com or call Biddle at 305-295-0153 or e-mail her at erika.b@earthlink.net.

mbolen@keysnews.com

http://www.istockanalyst.com/article/viewiStockNews/articleid/3844560

Special thanks to Richard Charter Saturday, February 06, 2010 5:52 PM

Source: The Walton Sun (Santa Rosa Beach, Fla.  By Deborah Wheeler, Walton Sun, Santa Rosa Beach, Fla.

Feb. 6–Big Oil might face big opposition in South Walton, a recent informal poll from The Sun reveals.

If the fiery responses are any indication, there should be plenty in South Walton joining hands Feb. 13 when citizens across the state of Florida protest proposed drilling for oil in the Gulf of Mexico.  More than 200 area locals were polled by The Sun to find out where the community stands on the measure, and many were not shy about expressing their thoughts — especially those who were opposed to the possibility of drilling 3 to 10 miles off Florida’s beaches.

“I think it would be the most irrational, emotionally charged blunder for the state of Florida and the entire country,” said artist Ari Zalace. “Coal and oil are dying technologies [and not worth] sacrificing environmental treasures for. Let’s learn something from the rest of the world. Other countries are pouring billions into sustainable energy, like wind and solar, and yet the good ol’ boy politicians in this country are still going head strong for the remaining oil and gas reserves. At what cost?”
“I will fight it with all of my energy,” said financial consultant Jane Burns. “I don’t want a bunch of Texas oil men ruining our biggest and most beautiful asset.”

Former County Commissioner Cindy Meadows agreed. “No drilling! Period,” she said.

“Tourism is our biggest asset, and it’s hard enough dealing with hurricane season. The beaches, coastal lakes and the fishing industry deserve our respect,” said art teacher Billie Gaffrey.

Although the vast majority of responses opposed nearby Gulf drilling, other residents are still squarely on the other side of the line in the sand.”With gas at $2.80 a gallon, let’s drill, baby,” said Destin’s Ernie Shillingburg.   “I am for it, why not?” said Sandestin’s Connie Niehaus.”We need to do anything and everything to decrease, or better yet end, our dependence on foreign oil,” said Niceville’s John Morris. “If it means drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, then so be it.”   “Our oil or foreign oil? Seems like an easy choice,” said Destin’s Frank Macon.

But for those on the other side, the choice was also crystal clear.   “It really is amazing. Here we have Southwest Airlines, which we hope will bring in tourists to experience our paradise. I bet they aren’t coming to see Walmart or oil drills offshore!” said Donna Pelous of Rosemary Beach.   Freeport’s Bill Stephenson’s thoughtful response was, “Only when the economy returns will it more than offset the cost of the environmental damage and the cost of repairs.    Realize our environment is priceless.”

Fears of a spill were a common thread among many respondents.   “I am against it big time!” said Realtor Harry Millsaps. “It will only be a matter of time before we have a major oil spill hit our beaches. “In this area, the benefits are not worth the risks,” said restaurant owner George Barnes.

Some suggested that those eager to drill should go west or north.  “I’ll agree to it once California does,” said Point Washington’s Karen White.
“Why not drill in Alaska; they have plenty of crude and keep our beaches white,” said Point Washington resident June Holm. “However, go ahead and drill; the sooner we run out, the sooner they will have to find an alternative fuel.”   “I’m opposed,” said Jackie Gibson. “Go to the frigid north where no one lives!”   One respondent said we could learn a thing or two from our European neighbors. “I lived in Europe 30 years ago, and when you left the house, all the lights went off,” said Seaside resident Karen Tucker. “If we would only do that – problem solved.”

But for many, the problem ran deeper.  “We can’t keep putting off finding alternative energy sources,” said Freeport resident Eileen West. “The more we avoid finding other ways to power our lives, the more we give control of our destiny to foreign governments. Drilling to get more fossil fuels to help us in the short term will not solve the problem in the long run. Americans are inventive enough to find ways to make oil obsolete. New technology is being tested everyday. Let’s move forward.”

http://www.pennenergy.com/index/blogs/washington-pulse/blogs/OGJ/washington-pulse/post987_2866464857426730017.html

US Environmental Protection Agency has created a toll-free tip-line for citizens to report non-emergency suspicious activity related to oil and gas development. Called “Eyes on Drilling,” the number for the tip-line, which EPA’s Philadelphia regional office announced on Jan. 27, is (877) 919-4EPA. Tips may be provided anonymously, it added.

The agency, which also is accepting tips by e-mail at eyesondrilling@epa.gov, said it will accept information from people who observe what appears to be disposal or wastes or other illegal activity. “While EPA doesn’t grant permits for oil and gas drilling operations, there are EPA regulations which may apply to the storage of petroleum products and drilling fluids. The agency is also very concerned about the proper disposal of waste products, and protecting air and water resources,” it continued.

The notice said that EPA wants to better understand what people are experiencing and observing as a result of oil and gas drilling activities. The information collected may also be useful in investigating industry practices, it indicated. The tips should include the location, time, and date of such activity, as well as materials, equipment, and vehicles involved, and any observable environmental impacts.

EPA’s regional office in Philadelphia clearly issued the notice because of growing interest in the Marcellus Shale natural gas formation. Production of gas from it will require hydraulic fracturing, which it said results in 20-30% of the fluid used flowing back to the surface with produced brines which contained dissolved materials from the formation, it said in the notice.

“Operators are urged to recycle their flowback water for reuse in the fraccing process, but some of the flowback is taken offsite for disposal,” it continued. “Chemicals used in the process are often stored on-site. Spills can occur when utilizing these chemicals or when transporting or storing wastewater, which can result in the contamination of surface water or ground water, which is used for many purposes including drinking water.”

The service adds another government element to an already complicated situation as Pennsylvanians, New Yorkers, and West Virginians try to grapple with potentially heavy gas production in areas which have no experience with it. It won’t be surprising if opponents use it to cause trouble. But it also will be there in case actual landowners and nearby residents see genuine problems.

Special thanks to Richard Charter