(06/27/2011)

Lawrence Hurley, E&E reporter

Lawmakers on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee this
week will examine how much progress the federal government and Gulf
Coast states have made in assessing the natural resource damage caused
by last year’s Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

The Water and Wildlife Subcommittee, presided over by Sen. Ben Cardin
(D-Md.), will seek information tomorrow on initial findings and probe
officials on how they are gathering and analysing the data, according
to Cardin spokesman Sue Walitsky.

The basic aim of the hearing is to “look at where we are in the
assessment process,” Walitsky added.

The April 2010 explosion on the Macondo well in the Gulf of Mexico led
to a spill of an estimated 4.9 million barrels of oil that affected not
just the shoreline but also the deepwater ecosystem up to 5,000 feet
down.

The Natural Resources Damage Assessment is the legal process whereby
the various parties involved — in this case federal agencies, affected
states and well operator BP PLC — figure out the ecological damage
caused by an environmental disaster. On the federal government side,
the process is overseen by representatives from the Defense, Interior
and Commerce departments.

Scientists are still in the midst of scouring the Gulf for data
(Greenwire, April 20). The information gathered will be used to
determine how much BP and other companies involved in the disaster will
pay as part of the restoration process.

During the hearing, testimony will be offered not only by officials
involved in the process but also independent scientists who are keeping
a close eye on the Gulf in the aftermath of the spill.

Emily Woglom, director of government relations for Ocean Conservancy,
noted that government officials will be somewhat limited in what they
can reveal because there remains the possibility of litigation over how
much BP should pay.

There is an “understandable tension” between the desire to inform the
public and the need to protect data of legal significance, Woglom said.

The committee will also delve into the $1 billion BP agreed in April to
pay for emergency restoration projects and how it has being spent,
Walitsky said.

Each of the five affected states — Florida, Alabama, Mississippi,
Louisiana and Texas — have been allocated $100 million to spend on
projects. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the
Department of the Interior also have $100 million each to spend as they
see fit. The remaining $300 million will be allocated by the federal
government to fund proposals suggested by the states.

Schedule: The hearing is tomorrow at 10 a.m. in 406 Dirksen.

Witnesses: Cynthia Dohner, regional director, Southeast Region, U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service; Tony Penn, deputy chief of the Assessment
and Restoration Division, Office of Response and Restoration, NOAA;
Donald Boesch, professor of marine science and president of the
University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, and member of
the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and
Offshore Drilling; Margaret Leinen, vice chairwoman of the Gulf of
Mexico Research Initiative Research Board, executive director of the
Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, and associate provost for Marine
and Environmental Initiatives at Florida Atlantic University; Erik
Rifkin, interim executive director, National Aquarium Conservation
Center, National Aquarium; Garret Graves, chairman, Coastal Protection
and Restoration Authority; and R. Cooper Shattuck, chairman of the
executive committee of the NRDA Trustee Council and legal adviser to
the governor of Alabama.

Special thanks to Richard Charter

http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2011/06/27-5

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 27, 2011
2:02 PM

CONTACT: Food & Water Watch

Kate Fried, Food & Water Watch, (202) 683-2500, kfried(at)fwwatch(dot)org

WASHINGTON – June 27 – “The New York Times’ recent series on shale gas fracking reinforces deep concerns voiced by Food & Water Watch that the so-called promises of fracking as a bridge to energy independence have been gravely over-hyped by the natural gas industry and certain policymakers.

“The fact is that the natural gas industry has exaggerated the economic benefits of fracking while downplaying its risks to public health and the environment. Meanwhile, when skeptical industry insiders evoke terms like ‘Ponzi scheme,’ ‘bubble,’ and ‘Enron’ to describe the actual potential of shale gas fracking, you know there’s a profound problem.

“The very fact that Chesapeake Energy chief executive Aubrey McClendon admitted to investors that his company is reselling fracking leases for 5 to 10 times their actual value is indicative of a reckless and dangerous mentality of invincibility reminiscent of Ken Lay’s during his years at Enron.

“These revelations further prove that the Obama administration is pursuing a misguided course in encouraging the proliferation of this toxic, dangerous practice. Rather than incentivizing shale gas fracking it should devote resources to developing truly sustainable energy solutions that won’t harm public health or the environment. In the meantime, President Obama should impose a national ban on shale gas fracking.”
###
Food & Water Watch is a nonprofit consumer organization that works to ensure clean water and safe food. We challenge the corporate control and abuse of our food and water resources by empowering people to take action and by transforming the public consciousness about what we eat and drink.

Santa Rosa Press Democrat
Santa Rosa, California

http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20110625/ARTICLES/110629601?Title=Advocates-speak-up-for-the-Sonoma-coast

Advocates speak up for the Sonoma coast

Published: Saturday, June 25, 2011 at 6:05 p.m.
Last Modified: Saturday, June 25, 2011 at 6:05 p.m.

Conservationists, surfers and hikers, all united in a desire to protect the Sonoma coast, gathered Saturday at Doran Beach for the annual Hands Across the Sand effort sponsored by Surfriders Foundation.

The ocean was the focus, from concerns about plastic trash in the sea to sonic oil exploration disrupting sea migration patterns. Offshore oil drilling and last year’s BP spill on the Gulf Coast drew extra interest.

“The Sonoma coast has never been in more jeopardy,” said activist Richard Charter who lives at Duncans Landing. “The House is behaving like it’s a wholly owned subsidiary of the oil companies, and only a narrow margin in the Senate is preventing drilling right now.”

Richard Stocker of Ocean Conservation Research spoke about noise pollution. “Oil exploration using sonics creates explosions that can be heard 2,000 miles, and they happen every 10 to 15 seconds,” he said.

Sonoma County Supervisor Efren Carillo noted green initiatives the county is taking. “We need renewable energy and initiatives that move us in that direction, move us away from oil,” he said.

— Andrea Granahan

_________________________

http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en-us&q=Hundreds+unite+on+Fort+Myers+Beach+to+support+our+shores&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

News Press

Hundreds unite on Fort Myers Beach to support our shores
Hands held to fight drilling, protect water
6:12 PM, Jun. 25, 2011 |
Comments

photos online

Hands Across the Sand
About 400 people lined the shores of Fort Myers Beach on Saturday, hand in hand, to voice opposition for expanded offshore drilling and to support clean energy solutions.

People in almost 40 states participated in the second annual Hands Across the Sand event.
The movement started in Florida in 2010 to protest efforts by state government to lift the ban on near and offshore oil drilling.

On Fort Myers Beach, the line of people stretched from the pier to the Lani Kai resort.

Residents all over the state recognized the event, from Key West to Pensacola.

Naples, Cape Coral and Sanibel also had their own observances.

___________________________

http://www.760kfmb.com/story/14976657/offshore-oil-drilling-protest-in-pacific-beach

KFMB
760 am

Offshore oil drilling protest in Pacific Beach

Posted: Jun 25, 2011 4:36 PM
Updated: Jun 25, 2011 6:25 PM

SAN DIEGO (CBS 8) – Dozens of people lined up along pacific beach Saturday to protest new offshore oil drilling in the United States.

Protestors chanted: “What do we want? Clean energy. When do we want it? Now!!!”

Protestors say Saturday’s “Hands Across the Sand” event was designed to raise awareness about the dangers of offshore oil drilling– and end our country’s dependence on oil.

“We support green energy. We don’t want to see off-shore drilling continue. We don’t want to see spills like what we saw in the gulf. We want to see our leaders investing in newer sustainable energy,” said Haley Haggerstone of the Surfrider Foundation San Diego.

Several “Hands Across the Sand” events were held across the U.S. Saturday.

For more information, visit www.handsacrossthesand.com for more.

_________________________

http://hamptonroads.com/2011/06/protesters-va-beach-push-wind-energy-over-drilling

Pilot Online
Virginian-Pilot

Protesters in Va. Beach push for wind energy over drilling

People take part in the Hands Across the Sand rally on the Virginia Beach Oceanfront on Saturday, June 25, 2011. Participants formed a human chain and chanted for wind energy, not offshore oil drilling, to be developed. They set small pinwheels in the sand to represent the windmills they favor. (Amanda Lucier | The Virginian-Pilot)
View full-size photo | Buy Pilot photos

By Mike Hixenbaugh
The Virginian-Pilot
© June 26, 2011
VIRGINIA BEACH

Tamarah Williams supports a federal ban on drilling for oil off Virginia’s coast.

“I think it’s great what they’re doing,” she said, pointing to a crowd of about 75 who had joined hands Saturday at the Oceanfront in opposition of offshore drilling and in support of wind energy. “But I have to meet somebody for lunch.”

A year ago, more than 1,000 people linked hands in Virginia Beach during the inaugural Hands Across the Sand protest, staged at coastal cities around the world in response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. If Saturday’s protest and Williams’ reaction were indications, some of the outrage over the spill has dissolved.

“We knew it would be difficult to duplicate last year’s crowd,” Eileen Levandoski of the Virginia Sierra Club said. “The story has probably faded from some people’s minds, but it’s no less important.”

High gasoline prices have put pressure on President Barack Obama and Congress to increase domestic oil production, Levandoski said, but it would be up to 10 years before any oil is be pumped out of new offshore wells. It’s not worth the risk, she said.

“We could drill everywhere including Gov. Bob McDonnell’s backyard, and it wouldn’t have a major impact on fuel prices,” Levandoski said, taking a jab at the Republican governor for his support of offshore drilling.

Franco Sferrella, a 17-year-old student at Kempsville High School, attended the protest because he fears a major spill could ruin the beaches.

“I believe you’ve got to protect those with no voice,” he said. “Not just for the ocean and beaches, but for wildlife and future generations.”

Ed Paul attended the protest with mixed views. The 36-year-old pastor said he supports wind energy but also thinks offshore oil drilling could be done without harming the environment.

“I support an all-of-the-above approach,” he said.

Attendees at the rally signed two petitions, one demanding Congress turn down efforts to expand domestic oil production and another urging Dominion Virginia Power to invest in offshore wind farms.

Participants chanted “mills, not drills” and “save our beaches” for 12 minutes as they held hands along the beach at 24th Street.

“We have a great resource off the coast of Virginia, but it’s not oil,” event organizer Rebecca Glenn shouted into a megaphone. “Wind does not spill.”

Mike Hixenbaugh, (757) 222-5117, mike.hixenbaugh@pilotonline.com

Special thanks to Richard Charter

by Frank Jackalone on 6/25/11

Statement of Frank Jackalone, Sierra Club Senior Organizing Manager
St. Pete Beach, Florida – June 25, 2011

This past week Governor Rick Scott and Senate President Mike Haridopolos declared war on Florida’s beaches and coastal economy. In a cynically timed pair of events, the two called for new oil drilling off Florida’s coasts and building more coal and nuclear power plants.

In addition, Governor Scott is starting to dismantle energy efficiency rules that we need to keep energy costs down for businesses and homeowners and to reduce the amount of poisons such as mercury and ozone from coal and gasoline emissions sent into our air.

Rick Scott is embracing the dirtiest forms of energy for our state. He is shirking his responsibility to protect the welfare of all Floridians.

Tea Party Governor Scott and his actions deeply contrast with the policies of former Republican Governor Charlie Crist and Democratic Governor Bob Graham. Charlie Crist and Bob Graham not only worked to protect all our people but served as strong stewards of Florida’s wildlife – our fish, our dolphins, our magnificent birds – and our beautiful oceans, bays and Gulf beaches.

A year ago today oil was pouring out from BP’s Macondo deepwater well into the Gulf of Mexico. It was the greatest man-made environmental disaster in America’s history.

The Gulf of Mexico is still sick following this disaster. The Gulf fishing industry still hasn’t revived. People who live near the Gulf are reporting unexplained illnesses. Tourism at our beach communities is down. Millions of Floridians are still depressed because of the damage done to the special places they loved.

We can’t take another hit from another spill.
Not in the deepwater Gulf!
Not in the Atlantic!
Not in Florida’s coastal waters, just 3 miles off Florida’s shoreline!
And not in the waters between Cuba and the Florida Keys!

It’s risky business – too risky for Florida’s coastal businesses.

Another spill could cause our fisheries to crash permanently. That’s no exageration. A recent report warns that sealife is jeopardized by a combination of man’s pollution, overfishing and warming waters. Mass extinction is a real possibility. We are courting disaster in the Gulf if we add another major oil spill to this mix.

Today we join Hands with thousands of Floridians (and thousands more at 300 events across the earth) to say there is a real alternative to oil drilling here in the “sunshine state” – It’s called sunshine. Harness the power of the sun. The sun’s energy is being harvested and converted into power for our homes just a little bit right now in Florida. It is being harvested more than here in several other states. And it is being harvested a whole lot more in much colder, darker places like Germany. Sunshine is free to the touch and it can be captured economically.

The other part of the solution is to move to electric cars now. The Sierra Club and other conservation groups are calling on the Obama Administration to adopt a new rule to get us to 60 miles per gallon average fuel economy for new cars and trucks by the year 2025. That standard would push manufacturers to sell electric cars and trucks at affordable prices. It can be done and it must be done if we are to get beyond oil and save the planet.

Solar and electric cars ought to be Florida’s future, not more drilling in the Gulf.

(06/23/2011)

Paul Quinlan, E&E reporter

Gulf state senators are said to be nearing a deal on how to divvy up
the potentially $20 billion in penalties that could result from the
federal government’s litigation of companies responsible for the
Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

“We’re very close,” said Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.).

Legislation could be brought to the Senate Environment and Public Works
Committee soon for consideration, according to Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-
Calif.), the committee chairwoman who is leading negotiations among
senators from the region.

“We are going to be having a markup on that around a couple weeks from
now,” Boxer said today.

There is widespread consensus within Congress and the Obama
administration that Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas
should receive the bulk of the money, since they bore the brunt of the
environmental and economic damage resulting from the April 2010 oil
spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

Capturing the money would require legislation to divert the funds
before they flow into a trust fund used to pay for future oil spill
cleanups or into the federal treasury.

That could prove difficult. Any such bill to divert billions of dollars
to the Gulf states would also get slapped with a multibillion-dollar
price tag by the Congressional Budget Office. That could be a tall
legislative hurdle, given the growing anxieties on Capitol Hill over
the federal deficit.

“We’re fairly close to agreements that will provide some money for
deficit reduction and some money to the Gulf Coast,” Landrieu said.

To succeed, Gulf state lawmakers agree they will have to unite behind a
single bill — something that is also easier said than done. There are
deep divisions among the region’s lawmakers about how a bill that would
capture the money should divide it up among the states.

“The bottom line is how to divide the money fairly between the Gulf
Coast states — that’s been the toughest, but we’re making progress,”
Landrieu said.

Florida Sen. Bill Nelson (D), for example, has called for allocating
the money, in part, based on a state’s total miles of shoreline, which
would give Florida an advantage.

Also being debated is how much money should be devoted to environmental
restoration, such as wetlands-rebuilding projects, versus economic
recovery, such as port dredging and construction of convention centers
or highway interchanges.

Louisiana Sens. Landrieu (D) and David Vitter (R) filed a bill that
would devote more money to the former, while Rep. Jo Bonner (R-Ala.)
put forward legislation that favors the latter.

“We’re working through all those issues, but we’re very close,”
Landrieu said.
Reporter Jeremy P. Jacobs contributed.

Special thanks to Richard Charter