Our Ocean Legacy In the News

OPINION Reader Views

Regarding Mike Thomas' Thursday column, "Offshore Drilling Could Reduce Global Warming":

Thomas may be right that tackling global warming "won't be a painless, jolly-green adventure." However, his support for drilling rigs off Florida's coast to increase our supply of natural gas should not be part of the solution.

Offshore drilling, for gas or oil, is the slowest, most expensive and dirtiest way to meet our state's energy needs. Drilling for natural gas is not some benign, clean process with a minor environmental footprint that the multimillion-dollar public-relations campaigns by Shell and Chevron would have you believe.

Offshore drilling operations generate massive amounts of toxic waste -- an average of 180,000 gallons per well. Seismic exploration to find the gas off our coast -- explosive underwater blasts -- can be devastating to marine mammals such as sperm whales, and can severely impact fish populations.

Onshore infrastructure associated with offshore gas development significantly damages the coast. Gas rigs generate huge amounts of air pollution, pollute surrounding waters with mercury, and because oil and gas are often found together, the potential for a major oil spill is always a possibility.

There is a better way. Florida has vast "strategic reserves" of energy efficiency and clean, renewable energy. Virtually every part of our economy has the potential to use energy more efficiently. In doing so, we could save more natural gas than the entire amount that exists off our unique and fragile coastline.

MARK FERRULO
Director, Environment Florida
Tallahassee

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