Matt, Vasilogambros. (2021, December 20). California Oil Spill Prompts New Push to Ban Offshore Drilling. Retrieved January 28, 2022, from https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2021/12/20/california-oil-spill-prompts-new-push-to-ban-offshore-drilling

 

After a 25,000-gallon oil spill off the shore of Huntington beach. Many propose, to ban offshore drilling in California; requiring going through federal and state jurisdictions, along with voiding contracts. Newsom already called to end all oil extraction by 2045, but the majority of California’s workforce is within the oil and creates strong opposition. Opposition proposes to create an oil tax, therefore, using oil tax money to support conservation efforts and coastal restoration efforts. Many other states have already put bans in place on offshore drilling showing it is possible for California. California already banned any new leases to offshore drilling after 1994 but drilling operations before the ban are still allowed. Many of these rigs are outdated and have lived past their expected lifespans yet continue to operate and help California to be the 7th largest producer of oil within the country. Many think that all the rigs should be shut down as each passing year exponentially increases the odds of a spill due to the rig’s age. These dismantling projects as a whole would take billions and many years. 

I think this is striking seeing how detrimental the spill was and seeing that although people are calling for action, none has been taken or seemingly won’t for a while. Many of the rigs should simply not be in service due to their age and wear yet they still operate and further risk the oceans and ecosystems around the coast of California. The opposition to the dismantled plans does bring up good alternatives such as an oil tax which would be very beneficial. But change should happen and so many people are valuing their economic wealth over environmental health and I think that this is crazy. The projects would cost both sides extreme amounts of money but wouldn’t that save the money that is required to clean the oceans and restore the damage? We are starting to see the signs of deteriorating offshore oil rigs and it is just the start, only more problems are going to occur and more spills will happen. Yes, it would drive down the oil production of the 7th highest producing state in the nation, and would overall drive down the amount of oil within the US and require more imported oil. But this would force innovation and the move to renewable energy.