Offshore Drilling in California

Your editorial (Oct. 23), “A Break Offshore,” characterizes recent congressional action to further delay oil leasing off California as a victory for Californians. Considering that this country is again importing more than 40% of its oil needs, another unnecessary delay in developing promising domestic offshore areas is a tragic setback--not a victory--for the people throughout this country, including California.

This is not the first time Congress has delayed leasing off California. Between 1982 and 1985, it enacted a series of one-year appropriations moratoriums, which placed as much as 75% of the California coast off limits to leasing. During this period, the Interior Department conducted extensive negotiations with Congress and the State of California on how to proceed with an orderly offshore leasing program. Unfortunately, the result of these efforts is a two-year veiled moratorium at the very time this nation’s domestic oil reserves are declining and its reliance on foreign imports is again surging upward.

As you indicated, a clear and reasonable offshore plan must be supported by the facts. It should take into consideration that one-half or more of the oil this nation will need in the year 2000 has yet to be discovered. Half of these future discoveries are expected to be located off the U.S. coasts.

The plan should recognize that offshore California is among this nation’s most promising areas for future discoveries. Within this area are several recent discoveries and existing fields that have produced millions of barrels of oil. Indeed, your July 31 editorial, “Offshore Dilemma,” rightly says “California must be prepared to take a good-faith negotiating stance that could produce some future oil.”

Such plans will surely include environmental protection and necessary provisions for addressing local issues and concerns. Industry has bent over backward by agreeing to delay leasing, agreeing to negotiating processes that seem designed to fail, agreeing to numerous trade-offs to protect local air and water quality, and agreeing to reasonable taxes to defray costs associated with oil developments. Existing systems perform well in everyone’s interest when permitted to work.

ROBERT HARRISON

Vice President and General Manager

Western Oil and Gas Assn.

Los Angeles