FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SOS California and Award-Winning Actor Ted Danson
"The U.S. will not be able to borrow overseas money for the next 30 years to pay for building a renewable energy infrastructure while running a $600 billion per year trade deficit, which is primarily due to imported oil." -Bruce Allen, SOS California SANTA BARBARA, CA – Bruce Allen, co-founder of SOS California will testify opposite longtime ocean advocate Ted Danson before the House Committee on Natural Resources in Washington on Wednesday (Feb. 11), regarding the "Environmental and Commercial Perspectives on Offshore Drilling." In his testimony, Allen will establish that the predominate source of hydrocarbon pollution in U.S. waters is natural oil and gas seepage, and that advances in offshore oil and gas development have significantly reduced this source of pollution in the ocean and the industry’s environmental footprint. "Less than 1% of hydrocarbon pollution in all U.S. waters now comes from drilling and extraction, while natural oil seeps contribute 63%." -National Academy of Sciences For the past two years SOS California, a nonprofit organization based in Santa Barbara, has been educating the public about the environmental impact of hydrocarbon seep pollution in the ocean. "California beaches are washed with oil seepage from state and OCS waters for 100 miles along the central coastline," Allen explains. The natural oil and gas seeps pollute the marine environment at the rate of 200 barrels per day, "killing seabirds, sickening surfers, and are a significant source of air pollution in Santa Barbara County." Allen further states, "Surprising to many is the fact that in California, offshore oil and gas production has actually been drying up this natural seepage pollution in California waters." He reports that the same seepage reductions from offshore development appear to be occurring in oil and gas resource basins in other regions as well. SOS believes that a healthy partnership between the environmentalists and the energy industry is "the bridge to our renewable future." To that end, Mr. Allen will be providing the House Natural Resources Committee with fact-based research regarding:
As key facts surrounding the impacts of the natural oil and gas seepage pollution in California coastal waters are presented, SOS California’s Bruce Allen will establish that offshore oil production along California’s Central Coast has had a significant positive environmental benefit. Further, Allen will recommend a plan for linking OCS oil and gas royalty revenues from new leases to funding for renewable energy in order to accelerate the transition to renewable energy. "New OCS royalty revenues ultimately could reach $3 trillion," says Allen, "and provide directed funding for millions of Americans to convert to solar electricity, electric vehicles, and other forms of renewable energy." Additionally, according to the California Economic Forecast, the offshore oil and gas reserves in Santa Barbara County, if produced, could provide "windfall revenues to the County and State." Current estimates are about $370 million per year for the county and $1.5 billion per year for the state. SOS maintains that these benefits, the advances in technology, and the industry safety record are important factors that well support opening more U.S. offshore oil and gas resources for responsible development. Allen concludes that, while providing the U.S. with needed [domestic] resources, "expanded development will generate a significant source of new revenue to fund—and accelerate—the transition to renewable sources of energy."
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