Boxer, Feinstein propose federal ban on oil drilling off Pacific Coast

[IScreamSundays]

Source: MercuryNews

WASHINGTON — Seizing on the growing environmental disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, California Sens. Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein on Thursday introduced legislation to permanently ban offshore oil drilling in federal waters off the coasts of California, Oregon and Washington.

Their proposal would have no immediate effect, since President Barack Obama already has exempted the West Coast from his oil drilling expansion plans. And the federal legislation would not cover waters controlled by the individual states, although in California, political opposition to new drilling leases appears to be insurmountable.

But the Democratic senators argued that the state needs permanent protection from the kind of environmental catastrophe unfolding in the deep waters of the Gulf. The legislation would prohibit any new oil drilling leases in federal waters off the Pacific coast.

"We know this can happen again," Boxer said at a news conference in the Capitol. "And from the testimony we heard" during recent hearings on the Gulf spill, she added, "we feel it will happen again."

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Read more: http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_15078625

[mikelgb]

1. DiFi? is that really you?

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. My senators! I love 'em!

[JBoy]

3. BC says thank you!

[Bryn]

4. Many cheers for Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein

:applause:

[happygoluckytoyou]

5. too bad the TEABIRTHERS didn't get this done in their gulf...

[happygoluckytoyou]

6. Think of all the free ads for http://www.gulfoil.com/ that would be missed

[pdefalla]

7. Feinstein????

How are you going to square this with your corporate sponsors?

[CaliforniaPeggy]

8. I suspect, since this is really not going to change reality much...

That she really cares what they think.

Every now and then she has to show up on the correct side of an issue, or people won't vote for her.

I could be wrong, of course...

[aquart]

9. Hey, the smell even gets into wealthy homes.

And so many of those are built on the beach.