Surfrider News and Events: November ’09

By: John Hearin

Article Category: Surf Rider Foundation 1 Comment

The Cocoa Beach Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation has joined a statewide coalition of political, business, and environmental organizations to oppose oil drilling off the Florida Coast. We feel that the risk to our beaches and waters does not justify the benefits claimed by the oil lobby and that the money and effort would be better spent developing clean, sustainable energy sources for our state.

The following information was compiled by Tony Sasso, who is leading our campaign to oppose offshore drilling and maintain our healthy coastline. Tony can be reached at surfscout71@aol.com

DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE THE OIL LOBBYISTS?

1. Hurricanes Katrina and Rita directly caused over 9 million gallons of oil spills, including those from pipelines. 113 rigs were totally destroyed and over 450 pipelines were destroyed in the wake of the hurricane. (USCG) This past July a Shell pipeline failed and spilled 63,000 gallons of oil causing a slick of 80 square miles.

2. New technology is far from safe, as shown in the West Atlas spill off the coast of Australia. Using the same technology touted by pro-drilling lobbyists, this rig blew out just a few months ago and was spewing over 400 barrels of oil per day, which created a slick larger than Connecticut.

3. The jobs that were promised to Australians on that rig actually went to foreign workers at cut-rate wages. The money and jobs in the oil industry are in production. There are no, and will likely be no refineries in Florida. Thank goodness, since they are considered one of the noisiest, smelliest and dirtiest industries in existence.

4. Tourism provides approximately $65 billion and 1 million jobs a year to the Florida economy. The ocean element of that is estimated at $25 billion per year and accounts for 500,000 jobs. The oil lobby says drilling may generate $3 to $5 billion in income per year. Even if that’s accurate, is jeopardizing a $65 billion known economy and all those jobs worth it? The Tampa Bay spill in 1993 caused a 50% drop in hotel bookings that year, a two-year dip in tourism and an 80% drop in commercial fishing. In addition to the tourism hit, it is estimated (at 1993 dollars) that a similar spill would cost about $4 billion to clean up.

5. Offshore drilling is an East Coast problem. The loop current that flows from the Gulf of Mexico through the Florida Straits and past Cape Canaveral will direct any contamination from a Gulf Coast spill to our beaches, not to mention the Florida Keys. Equally important is the fact that if the State allows close shore drilling (they are talking as close as 3 to 6 miles), the existing Federal ban on East Coast drilling (125 miles) will be in serious jeopardy. In simple terms… our Coast is very much in play.

Most of the drilling arguments don’t really hold water when held up to real facts. This is the Florida Legislature’s idea of a quick fix to a long-term State funding problem, but it just won’t work. To learn more, check out the Surfrider Foundation’s website: www.nottheanswer.org. Another very clear and concise article I recommend is one by Bob Rackleff, who writes for the St. Pete Times. Read it at: www.tampabay.com/news/perspective/a…/1035474

Upcoming Surfrider events include:

November 7: Beach Work Day; 11 a.m.; the beach at Minutemen Causeway, Cocoa Beach

November 7-8: 2009 Slater Brothers’ Invitational Surf Contest; Cocoa Beach

November 12: “Blue Green” surf movie premiere at the Cocoa Beach Library; 6 p.m.

November 17: Monthly meeting at the Cocoa Beach Surf Museum; 6 p.m.

November 21: Beach Work Day; location TBA

December 2: Christmas Party at the Cocoa Beach Surf Museum (covered dish; BYOB)

Whether you surf, body board, swim, fish, bike, walk or just enjoy a clean, healthy beach, please consider joining the Surfrider Foundation. We hold regular meetings on the third Tuesday of every month at 6 p.m. in the Cocoa Beach Surf Museum located at the Ron Jon Watersports Building, 4275 North Atlantic Ave. in Cocoa Beach. Hope to see you there.

Surfrider Foundation, Cocoa Beach Chapter
surfrider.cocoabeach@gmail.com
By: John Hearin