Stopping the Next Oil Spill Before It Happens

As I continue to follow the devastating news concerning the oil spill on the Gulf Coast, I am overwhelmed with a sense of deja-vu from the Exxon-Valdez tragedy that occurred in Alaska over two decades ago. It's been more than 20 years, and Alaskans are still recovering from the mess that the historic spill left in Prince William Sound. As analysts estimate that the Gulf catastrophe could be even worse than the Exxon-Valdez, one can only guess how long it will take for the citizens and wildlife of the Gulf Coast to bounce back from the damage.

Yet even with these two disasters as precedents, a controversial drilling plan is still going forward in a few months. Soon, a drilling ship and other support vessels will steam toward the Arctic Ocean and conduct exploratory drilling in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas off the coast of Alaska. Similar exploratory drilling that has sown destruction in the Gulf of Mexico is scheduled to begin in the Arctic early this summer -- and could pose a much greater risk to the oceans, a host of aquatic and marine creatures, ancient native cultures and communities and the safety of the workers on board.

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has already decided to allow the drilling to continue -- now is the time for Secretary Salazar to step in and reconsider allowing the drilling that will put our Arctic waters at risk.

As the predictions for the aftermath of the Gulf Coast spill grow bleaker, it is imperative that plans to drill on the Arctic Coast be halted immediately. If the fleet of Coast Guard vessels and other infrastructure in the Gulf has been insufficient to stop the spread of this spill, what kind of damage would a spill in the isolated, treacherous Arctic waters cause?

In addition to drilling the coastline, a few lawmakers have also suggested that the Gulf Coast oil spill makes a case for drilling in inland areas, including Alaska's iconic Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Off-shore or not, there is no "safe" way to drill for oil and gas. The wild areas at risk are too much to lose. As I have asked before about the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge:

"When you look at the refuge -- at the wild, rugged, and pristine vistas -- you have to ask yourself, if we, as a nation, cannot protect this place, what can we protect?"

Both the Arctic Ocean and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, including its coastal area, are rich, wild ecosystems that provide crucial habitat for countless species, including those that are endangered. Destroying these invaluable wild areas is not the answer to weaning off our nation's debilitating dependence on oil. The Obama administration must invest in alternative fuel options and make preserving America's most beautiful wild lands for generations a priority.

 

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Comments

[SystemLink]

11:29 PM on 05/16/2010

We won't be able to because the next spill will continue happening due to the Oil Companies refusing to follow safety procedures and going straight for whatever gives them the most oil

This will soon pass and their usual ways will come back once again

Money rules and safety comes second

[ConnGuy]

06:47 PM on 05/16/2010

As this environmental disaster of epic proportions drags on – with the dire consequences yet to be fully determined and realized – the U.S. government needs to take a more urgent and heavy-handed approach to the clean up. And not publicly designate a company already being accused by many as grossly negligent and incompetent as the primary organization responsible for saving the environment.

Sure, some of this is posturing and our government is letting BP know it has a lot of liability in the matter.

But this oil spill has already spun way too far out of control, and it’s starting to seem like nobody knows what to do or how to stop it.

http://philiptortora.blogspot.com/2010/05/shouldnt-us-government-have-more.html

[plzchuteme]

10:02 PM on 05/15/2010

The odds for winning the Powerball jackpot are about 1 in 195,000,000. Sounds pretty slim, but people do win on a regular basis. The odds that a catastrophic accident will occur while drilling for oil aren't nearly as steep and the more drilling there is, the less steep those odds become. It is inevitable that it will happen again and it will happen with greater frequency. Throw in disregard for safety regulations and shortcuts fueled by greed, and the oceans ability to heal itself will be pushed beyond its limits. Who cares? The current executives will be rotting in the ground before it happens, BUT they lived "the good life" and that's all that really matters. "Mr. Hayward, the fish are all dead and the people are hungry. What are they to do?" "Let them eat 'tar balls!'"