How can any fish lover approve of off shore drilling?

[aquaknight]

If you look through the old offshore drilling thread, I was passionately against even the concept. Now, not to say my opinion's changed, but a couple things.
First, even if "off-shore drilling is approved" I bet there will some type of at least some local (state-wide) voting. Florida, or at least everyone I've talked to, is pretty against the idea off Florida's coast. Second, the realization of where they're actually going to drill for oil. I forget the actual numbers, but it's at least 15 or 50

miles off the coast. No where near any reefs, and at those depths, they actually do provide an area for a new mini ecosystem.
Additionally, unless the government puts up some big tax breaks, I don't think there will be a flood of rigs off the coast. From what I've read, the oil out in the Atlantic is dirty, silty, oil, that US refiners currently can't handle, meaning they would have to ship the oil out to Brasil and then back, for little if any revenue. Lastly, it seems like it just going to take some type of disaster to open some people. I like to akin this to mixing oil and water, but a big oil spill would be devastating backbone of Florida's economy, tourism. While some argue that higher gas prices hurts tourism, that is true to a point, but international tourists, who are unaffected by what the US calls "high prices," isn't a concern make up an ever increasing about is tourist, now the exhange rate is greatly in there favor.

 

[reefraff]

I am not sure this proposal will even go through due to some poison

[hr]
but. States would have the say so into how close drilling can occur. I think it was closer than 50 miles but I am not sure, could have been 100.
Also last polling I saw California and Florida residents both favored allowing new drilling off their coasts.

 

[jemshores]

Originally Posted by reefraff
http:///forum/post/2755198
I am not sure this proposal will even go through due to some poison

[hr]
but. States would have the say so into how close drilling can occur. I think it was closer than 50 miles but I am not sure, could have been 100.
Also last polling I saw California and Florida residents both favored allowing new drilling off their coasts.
Oil=Blood; without it we will perish. What really concerns me is its use for heating. I used to live up North and we relied on heating oil; had 2 500 gal tanks, and at that time it was under $2 a gallon and alot money to keep warm. Now with it skyrocketing; how are people/families/kids going to be able to afford it? We can assume that the number of house fires from alternate methods will increase. And the worse-our seniors freezing. So when you go to the pump you need to look at this from all angles. Our reliance on foreign oil is insane; let's break that bond now.

 

[beth]

Oil rigs, and oil pipelines have the potential for creating horrible natural disasters, which is why it is essential that they are built and maintained to the very best of our ability. That is up to us to do, and if we do it, there should be little, if any risk to the environment.
Oil rigs do provide an artificial habitat for many marine life and have actually contributed to populating the oceans with marine life, providing marine creatures with a habitat and a sanctuary, food, and safety. They are no different than the artificial ship reefs we sink in to the ocean, except, of course, what risk there is of an oil leak.
If there is anywhere we should be investing our money it should be to ensure that rigs and pipelines are built and maintained with the best technology we can throw at it to ensure environmental protection, but to think or say that they destroy the environment is not true. It should be explain throughly to the citizens what is in place to protect our environment, and then we should proceed to exploit our own natural resources in a safe and responsible manner. To do anything less is a detriment to our own country.
If there is anywhere where people need to be informed and proactive, then this is it.