Posted by Eric Sedletzky on January 20, 2001 at 23:15:05:
I just read in todays paper that the Bush administration (elect) is allready planning to find a way to drill off Bodega Head, Sea Ranch, Point Arena, and Mendocino. According to the National Resources Council there are approximately 720 million barrels in those spots which would fill the US need for oil for only 42 days. According to the oil companys' private researchers there is about 10 Billion barrels out there.
I don't quite know what to think of this one.
On one hand, platforms are an unsightly behemoth lurking off the coast waiting for an accident to happen. If there was to be the slightest spill of any kind it would spell disaster for for our coastline. You could kiss all those abs good bye. If you wanted a nice uncluttered photo of the Pacific ocean you would have to invest in photoshop or learn how to manually retouch your photos.
On the other hand, we need to start finding alternatives to foreign oil. Americans are absolute resource gluttons, and as long as we are using that much fuel to live our lives we have to think of the sources. I commute and have a mobile service type business myself and I hate to say it but I rely on gas just as much as the next guy. I don't see americans changing their ways anytime soon.
It would also serve to employ commercial divers, provide an artificial reef for fish, and maybe gas prices would go down (I doubt it).
One other thing, if all the law suits and environmental lobbies in the world fail and they do go ahead with it, the diving voice has to make them sign a clause stating that they will allow people to dive them.
I get first dibbs!
I guess I will have to flip a coin on this one.