After the fiasco on the Gulf, you would think that politicians wouldn’t take a crazy position like calling for opening up our protected waters to oil drilling. Is there nothing that Cloud, Rossi or Gase wouldn’t trade away for economic advantage? Perhaps we should say that if they are for this, that they should be banned from profiting from it in any way, including campaign contributions. I look forward to them taking their next vacation on the bayous of Louisiana and seeing the destruction first hand. Anyway, here’s the press release from the democrats that oppose the idea.
Kessler, Van De Wege, Tharinger
Blast Republican Plans to Lift Offshore Oil Drilling Moratorium In Washington’s Coastal Waters
Sequim – State representatives Lynn Kessler and Kevin Van De Wege have joined with Clallam County Commissioner Steve Tharinger — who is running to succeed Kessler — to denounce Republican plans to lift the moratorium on offshore oil drilling off Washington’s coasts. All three 24th District Democrats have come out strongly against proposals that they believe would jeopardize the ecological and economic health of the entire Olympic Peninsula.
“To be honest, I am pretty stunned to see Republican after Republican in Washington come out in favor of selling out the Strait of Juan De Fuca and Pacific coastline to the same multinational oil companies that have destroyed the Gulf of Mexico and all of the wildlife species and industries that rely on it,” says Representative Van De Wege.
Republican congressional candidate Doug Cloud was quoted in the Peninsula Daily News’ primary voters’ guide as saying, “Yes, the moratorium on off-shore oil drilling should be lifted.” Republican senatorial candidate Dino Rossi has signed the Republican “Contract with America” that endorses an “All-of-the-Above Energy Policy” that includes “exploration of proven energy reserves.” And Van De Wege’s opponent, Port Angeles businessman Dan Gase, was quoted by Grays Harbor County’s The Daily World newspaper as saying “With proper safeguards in place it is not unrealistic to participate in oil and gas drilling” on October 3 and “We have tremendous dependence on foreign sources of energy and I think this [offshore oil drilling] has to be looked at,” on October 12.
“I can’t believe how out of touch the Republicans’ ‘deregulate everything’ ideology is with the voters of the 24th District on this issue,” says Van De Wege. “As long as I’m in office there is never any scenario, any scenario at all, whatsoever, that I would support oil drilling in the Strait of Juan De Fuca or off the Pacific coastline. All of the safeguards were in place in the Gulf of Mexico, and they had a catastrophic disaster there. I could not live with myself if I knowingly risked our coastal ecosystems and all of the industries that depend on them.”
Van De Wege’s stand against offshore oil drilling is supported by his fellow 24th District Democratic state representative, the retiring House Majority Leader Lynn Kessler, and Clallam County Commissioner Steve Tharinger, who is running to succeed her.
“During eighteen years of service, I worked hard to protect our coastline for the environment and shellfish, crabbing, and salmon industries that rely on it,” says Representative Kessler. “The Olympic Peninsula contains some of the most pristine, stunning, and undisturbed coasts in the entire United States. I have worked hard to secure rescue tugboats, ensure shipping lanes are not overcrowded, and guarantee that ballast water coming here from the rest of the world is safe.
“To know that there are candidates running in this district that would put all of the protections I have worked hard to accomplish in jeopardy by allowing oil drilling off our coast is disappointing,” continues Kessler. “We cannot allow this to happen. Our district stands to lose too much. I don’t support offshore oil drilling, and I know the people of the Olympic Peninsula don’t either. This election, it is more important than ever to choose candidates that will represent us and stand up for our values. Steve Tharinger and Kevin Van De Wege will do that for us in Olympia.”
“I stand with Representatives Kessler and Van De Wege against offshore oil drilling anywhere along Washington’s fragile, economically pivotal coastline,” says Tharinger. “It simply is against all common sense given what we’ve seen over the past few years from the oil industry. I take my job as an ecological steward of the 24th District too seriously to wager countless lives and jobs on the business practices of companies like British Petroleum.”
“Judging by the outraged feedback I’ve been receiving from my constituents,” says Van De Wege, “the very first question any voters or journalist should be asking candidates for office in the 24th District is if they would even entertain the idea placing offshore drilling platforms along our precious coastline. That will tell voters all they need to know about that candidates’ judgment and seriousness as a public servant.”
Filed under: Around the Sound, Government |
This makes no sense. It has died before. Why would they resurrect it the same year as the BP fiasco/disaster? Maybe to ensure it will die again? Either that, or we have some candidates who really need to pull (won’t finish the sentence).