Oil hearings come to California

The Department of Interior will hold one public hearing on the Pacific West Coast about its 5 year offshore oil, gas and alternative energy proposal. The announcement follows on the heels of a secretarial order making renewable energy development the Department’s top priority. The new policy still includes opening up leases for offshore drilling in the outer continental shelf, a move opposed by environmental groups.

9am on April 16th at the University of California San Francisco Mission Bay Campus, San Francisco, CA.

Department of Interior Secretary Ken Salazar says a focus on alternative energies is a new direction for the department, which previously focused on oil and gas developments.

Salazar has signed a Secretarial Order making the "production, development, and delivery of renewable energy top priorities for the Department." In essence, President Barak Obama has sacked the Bush administration's 5 year offshore oil and gas drilling proposal, in exchange for new one. The New 5 Year Draft Proposed Program for offshore energy development now includes areas for possible oil and gas leases, as well as alternative energy leases for developments like wave power.

Frank Quimby a public information officer with the Department of Interior, says next month’s hearings on the 5 year plan will include input on all energy possibilities in the OCS-outer continental shelf.

But California is still an area proposed for offshore oil and gas developments. The revised 5 year plan notes the oil and gas potential in Southern California. It also notes the potential in Mendocino and Humboldt counties., which includes leasing upwards of 44.7 million acres for oil and gas development by the year 2014. Another proposal would lease up to 2 million acres in the Point Arena Basin, mostly along Mendocino County’s coast line. Northern California has the nations 5th largest oil capacity-with an estimated 1.6 billion barrels of oil. According to the new 5 year plan, "Two companies expressed interest," in the hydrocarbon potential in Northern California
Salazar says while his office is prioritizing renewable energy development-oil and gas leasing is still on the table.

According to the new 5 year offshore energy plan, the Governor’s of Oregon, California and Washington are “opposed to including new areas for offshore drilling.” It also states that "Over 60 percent of the citizen comments in California are opposed to new offshore drilling, " and "Specific local comments were opposed to activity citing the sensitivity of the coastal environment."

to read more see here:
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/03/11/18576323.php

To learn more and to submit public comment click on the link below:
http://www.mms.gov/5-year/2010-2015DPPComments.htm