Exxon Oil Spill and Higher Gas Prices

It’s incredible that the oil industry has been so irresponsible in its response to the country’s largest and most environmentally threatening tanker oil spill. All the advertising and public relations efforts have not overcome the industry’s inability to carry out the promises that it made to assure effective response to such events. The industry has argued that its expertise and improvements in technology would prevent the sort of catastrophe that we saw in Santa Barbara.

A nightmare seems to be passing before us, a President and secretary of interior pushing for leasing of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (perhaps the most sensitive ecosystem in the nation) for oil development, an industry promising environmental protection we know is not possible, and a failure to address energy issues in a reasonable manner.

The whole coastline of California is being readied for leasing for oil and gas development. Local governments from San Diego to Mendocino have opposed offshore leasing for reasons that have so unfortunately come to pass in Alaska. It’s time for the federal government to stop promoting oil development and favor other conservation and alternative fuel sources.

BOB HARTMAN

Lemon Grove