Posted on 03/27/2008 9:13:11 AM PDT by thackney
County Commissioner Jack Mariano has his way, state and national leaders will jump on the bandwagon of offshore oil and gas drilling in the Gulf of Mexico.
The District 5 commissioner, who represents northwest Pasco, argues that foreign countries are cashing in on profits the state could be gaining instead. As the price of gasoline climbs closer to $4 per gallon, he reasons, government leaders should be looking for ways to increase the local supply.
Mariano faces strong opposition to his plan, however, not the least of which comes from his fellow board members, who passed a resolution by a 4-1 vote Tuesday urging Congress to resist "any attempts" to allow drilling along the Florida coast. State leaders also have opposed such efforts, but the decision would be up to national leaders.
District 4 Commissioner Michael Cox, at the prompting of an environmental group, asked the county attorney's office to prepare a resolution opposing offshore drilling that was read at Tuesday's meeting. The resolution says Florida's fragile coast is tied to the economy and should be protected from toxic chemicals released during oil and gas drilling. The resolution also stated that an oil spill could be devastating to the ecology and tourism, which sustains the economy.
Mariano, who heard about offshore drilling at a recent conference, argued there is little evidence to show it is harmful to the environment. He said oil rigs near Louisiana suffered little damage after hurricanes Katrina and Rita plowed through in 2005.
"When Katrina came through, there was absolutely no damage to the environment or oil rigs," Mariano said. "With that information, I don't want to see us concentrating on this. ... Even if we don't drill, China will. They will tap into our supplies. I don't think it's in our economic best interest to fight this. I don't think we should stand in the way of oil exploration out there."
Cox disagreed, noting that there always is a risk of a spill. He cited the Exxon Valdez spill that devastated marine life after the ship ran aground off the coast of Alaska on March 24, 1989. An estimated 11 million gallons of crude oil spilled and spread along 1,300 miles of coastline, according to the National Marine Fisheries Services Web site.
"I couldn't disagree with you more ... that an oil derrick off Pasco County is not going to make a difference," Cox told Mariano at the meeting.
Mariano said drilling will happen in the Gulf whether national leaders want it or not. China plans to start drilling near Cuba, he said.
"You're going to see an oil rig there, whether it's in American or foreign control," he said. "Our supply of oil is being held hostage at $100 per" barrel.
Cox said Wednesday that he strongly opposes drilling for oil off of Pasco's coast.
"There is oil drilling already in the Gulf. I don't want to see it happen here," he said. "They say the United States has only 3 percent of the world's oil supply. How much could be out in the Gulf? I don't think it's worth the ecological risk. I think Commissioner Mariano is delusional if he thinks oil drilling rigs are safe."
Moronic//////////how much oil could be out in the GULF? These idiots are the reason we are going broke as a nation. We have BILIONS and BILLIONS of bbls waiting to be tapped in the GULF you idiot. The State of Florida could reap huge royalties from that oil, just like the States of Alaska and La do. If you do not drill, how do you know how much oil there is? The answer is you don’t, and the four people on the board who voted against this should be recalled. We are beoming a nation of non thinking sheep, watching as our $ are being sent to Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, etc. Wake up people!!
“protected from toxic chemicals released during oil and gas drilling.”
Other than in Cox’s feeble mind, where has this happened?
I live on (and fish in) the Gulf near Pasco. I didn't realize there was ANOTHER benefit to those rigs. You mean there's oil there too? I'd build 'em just for the improved fishing. HA!
Three cheers for this guy. There is NO legitimate reason not to drill off the coasts of Florida and California. If the ultra-environmentally conscious Europeans are sufficiently satisfied with the safety of drilling offshore in the North Sea, there same safety technology will certainly work in the more “pacific” Pacific and Gulf of Mexico.
Yes.. Snapper, cobia, mackeral(3 kinds), even billfish and dolphin.. tuna and wahoo.. Wherever theres a derrick there will be a boat close by..
Starving in the midst of plenty...
Millions of tons of shipping was deliberately sunk by Germans U-Boats during WW II. Many of these ships were oil tankers carry thousands of barrels of oil, all were at least carrying fuel. What was the enviromental disaster from this?
We need to open up oil drilling! Do they want to sacrifice the American economy over enviromental concerns? Why are people not kicking to the curb those who think this way?
The U-Boat attacks I was speaking of happened off the Atlantic coast of the United States. Where was the economic disaster then? I suspect these people are simply anti-capitalist.
Well, duh!
Your answer is “yes, they want to sacrifice the American economy for the sake of the enviroment”.
The next question, why?
I am afraid that's not a "duh," and I wish I knew what they have against themselves. I was reading an article about "emo" kids who just sit and cry all the time, so maybe it's like that. They're "cutters" at heart.
A Madeline Albright statement gives insight into the answer to why they want to ruin the American economy.
She said the world would be more peaceful if the United States was not a superpower. I wish I knew the exact quote.
Some truly believe the the USA is the biggest deterrent to world peace. The are right but not for the reasons they think they are right. The only time there will be world peace is when Free nations lose and the entire world is under the boot heel of tyranny, then there will be peace. As long as there are Free men there will be war.
As far as I know, there haven't been any catastrophic spills from any of those rigs that has ever threatened the coastline. And yes, Mr. Cox, there is PLENTY of oil and natural gas in the Gulf; that's why Cuba and other countries are so hot to trot about drilling there!
Liberals wrongly believe that when all nations are “equal” there will be peace. THAT is why the American economy is being destroyed. Many are simply “useful idiots”, but there must be some who know they are destroying the American economy. This is treasnous! This is an act of war! Kick these people to the curb! Starting with the buffoons in Florida who do not want oil rigs off the Florida coast.
Madeline Albright is still alive?
I thought someone threw a bucket of water on her and she melted quite some time ago.
Madeline Albright made that statement years ago, I wish I knew it verbatim.
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