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

[The Straight Story]

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


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 little 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 within three miles of shore that are 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 safeguards against the kind of environmental catastrophe occurring in the deep waters of the Gulf.

"We know this can happen again," Boxer said at a news conference in the Capitol, using a picture of an oil-soaked bird as a backdrop. "And from the testimony we heard" during recent hearings on the Gulf spill, she added, "we feel it will happen again."

http://www.mercurynews.com/top-stories/ci_15078625

[Maat]

1. I think that we need to all work very hard on ending on dependence on oil.

Go Boxer, go Feinstein!