Simon Takes Stand Against Offshore Drilling
OAKLAND — Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Simon Jr. said Saturday that he is against any new oil drilling off the coast of California, and pledged to work with the Bush administration to negotiate buyouts of 36 undeveloped federal leases off the state's southern coast.
"I strongly oppose further offshore oil development and additional drilling, and it is time to phase out our offshore oil platforms," Simon said in a speech before a conference of radio and television journalists. "Further development could endanger our coastline--and with it our quality of life, our beaches, our marine life, and essential industries like tourism.
"By contrast, our proven onshore reserves are nearly 15% of total reserves in the nation. That's where the state should be working to improve production, on shore."
The 36 undeveloped leases, which cover plots of sea floor off the coasts of San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, have been a source of controversy between California and the federal government for two decades.
They are currently the subjects of a legal and political battle between Democratic Gov. Gray Davis and the Bush administration. They also provide a natural point of contention between Simon and Davis, as Simon attempts to convert his victory in this spring's Republican primary into a general election win over the incumbent Davis. Simon won the primary largely on the strength of his conservative support, but to win in November, he will need the backing of moderates and some Democrats, because Democrats hold a commanding majority among registered voters in California.
On Friday, Interior Secretary Gale A. Norton rejected Davis' request that the federal government buy back offshore drilling rights, as it did last week in Florida. President Bush pledged $235 million to buy back offshore oil and gas leases in Florida, where his brother Jeb is governor and running for reelection.
Simon said Davis has passed up opportunities to negotiate with the federal government over the undeveloped leases, and claimed that his opponent has permitted offshore drilling to increase under existing state and federal leases. "He claims to be against new drilling, while his administration has dramatically expanded drilling with dozens of new wells and existing wells that have been deepened or re-drilled during his administration."
