Initial Information-Gathering Steps Begin for Proposed Sale 220
MMS: Securing Ocean Energy & Economic Value for America
U.S. Department of the Interior
The purpose of the Call/NOI is to gather information to use for planning and analysis and does not indicate a preliminary decision to hold a lease sale. The final decision will be made at a later date only if the sale is in compliance with applicable laws including all requirements of the OCS Lands Act and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
“At the request of the Governor, MMS included the area offshore Virginia based on the Commonwealth’s current energy policy and continued interest in knowing what resources may be off its coastline,” said MMS Director Randall Luthi. The sale, referred to as Lease Sale 220, is proposed to be held in 2011.
The area offshore Virginia was initially included in the Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program: 2007-2012 but leasing was prohibited due to an Executive withdrawal and a Congressional moratorium. In July 2008, President Bush lifted the withdrawal and the Congressional moratoria expired on September 30, 2008. Both of these actions allowed the option of the special interest lease sale.
“The EIS will evaluate environmental resources and potential impacts in this part of the mid-Atlantic, an area that has not held a lease sale since 1983,” said Luthi. “Throughout the scoping process for the EIS, Federal, state, and local governmental agencies, along with all other interested parties, have the opportunity to aid MMS in determining the significant issues and alternatives for analysis in the EIS we are preparing under NEPA.”
Currently, the area offshore Virginia being considered for leasing includes a 50-mile buffer and a no-obstruction zone from the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, as requested by the Governor. As with any sale, the public will have multiple opportunities for input into the sale process.
Contact:
Eileen Angelico: 504-736-2595, Eileen.Angelico@mms.gov
Caryl Fagot: 504-736-2590, Caryl.Fagot@mms.gov
A Richmond Times Dispatch Public Square Debate
“Resolved: America Should Increase Offshore Domestic Drilling To Reduce Dependence On Foreign Oil”
Panel: Glen Besa, Director, Virginia Chapter Sierra Club, Tom Silvestri, Moderator, Nat Mund, Legislative Director, Southern Environmental Law Center, Charles Bedell, Advisor and retired manager, Murphy Exploration & Production, New Orleans, and Michael Ward Virginia Petroleum Council & Virginia Chamber Commerce, Natural Resources Committee
Glen Besa Opening Remarks: Primary reasons why the environmental community opposes drilling, and exploration-expansion of dependence on oil-it is because of the issues of global warming. We have over 2K scientists across the world, including many U.S. scientists-part of an intergovernmental panel on climate change which is an agency at the United Nations-basically finding that we are facing severe consequences from global warming. In fact, in Virginia, a coastal state, a good bit of Hampton and other parts of Virginia Beach and Norfolk will have serious problems in the next decades from sea-level rise.
The issue is energy. And the question where do we get our energy from? Can we get our energy from sources that do not exacerbate global warming - that begin to actually back down from the CO2 emissions? We’re talking about a need for 80 percent reduction in CO2 emissions by 2050. If we’re going to not suffer the most severe consequences of global warming associated with a 2-degree increase Centigrade-if we go past that measure, we’re going to see cataclysmic changes with regard to the climate, in terms of species loss, in terms of sea-level rise, in terms of environmental refugees. A lot of people in places like Bangladesh are going to be looking for a place to go. So I think the issue really has to focus on and acknowledge global warming. If Americans are only concerned about energy, then the question is, where does it come from? Note: This was first round, others followed with rebuttal either side.
Audience: FOJ member George Scott (paraphrased) indicated as a world traveler his observance of the new “Nano” auto in Brazil will continue to pollute, whereas the world need’s the lithium battery electric auto instead. Changes in Amtrak technology and the High Speed Rail suggest this can be done. In New Zealand they are using thermo-power and other countries use hydro-power. As a member of Boone T. Picken’s group he advocates for use of natural gas for vehicles. The question is when will we get away from fossil fuels?
FOJ member Diana Parker (paraphrased) asked what about the impacts which had not been addressed. What about the damage to the sea floor caused by giant oil platforms and the lines which extend from these lines - Charles Bedell indicated they could extend 80 miles. Often cut for the size of the lines, these gashes in the sea floor expand with time and wave action to extend the damage towards the land. Further, the Department of Defense study of Global Warming impacts speak to future water wars because of loss of our water resources. We have seen these drought conditions already among nations.
FOJ member Virginia Cowles (paraphrased) remembered the oil crisis of 1979 and asked what with the oil companies’ compulsion to drill, drill, drill now what guarantee is there that the NEW energy companies are going to put interest, excitement, exploration, knowledge, study into renewable energy…as they have been putting into lobbying, as they have been putting into oil?
PDF: Read Excerpts Richmond Times Dispatch: Sunday, October 12th, 2008