President Donald Trump has signed an executive order that throws open the doors of the Pacific, Arctic and Atlantic oceans to exploration for Oil And Gas. This order is expected to face opposition from California and other areas who are opposed to such activities because of the resultant damages to the Environment and ecology.
Why the opposition?
According to Los Angeles Times, Donald Trump had, during his campaign, promised to roll back environmental regulations and grant permission to drill for oil and gas in the oceans. The move now opens up vast areas of the oceans to new oil and gas drilling, and this could have severe repercussions in places like California.
There are possibilities that the issue could snowball into significant legal and political challenges and jeopardize the plans drawn up by Barack Obama to limit the development of fossil fuel and take up cudgels against climate change.
On this sensitive issue, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) has commented that California will fight it tooth and nail to ensure that oil drilling along the coast of California is not done. The Trump administration is fully aware of the sentiments of the people and admits that convincing them would not be an easy task.
Effects of oil exploration
Jerry Brown, Governor of California, has joined the governors of Oregon and Washington and, in a joint statement, have recalled the incidents of oil spills off the coasts of all three states.
The massive oil spills of 1969 of Santa Barbara resulted in oil-soaked beaches and devastation of wildlife apart from severe impacts on the local communities as well as the fishing industry.
In fact, that 1969 oil spill was instrumental in the formulation of the modern environmental movement because it highlighted the need to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and embrace Renewable Energy which can give a boost for a clean environment.
Drilling for oil in the Arctic
The volume of oil and gas available in the Arctic defies imagination. These lie beneath the sea floor off the coast of Alaska, and the state leaders want access to be granted for drilling in this region because that could neutralize the decline in production on land. Unfortunately, numerous challenges relate to the difficult terrain, inaccessibility, and presence of vulnerable species of marine creatures.
One of the firms did make an attempt in 2015 and spent more than seven years and $7 billion to plan but, in the end, accepted defeat and withdrew.
Drilling for oil and gas in the oceans carry with it the risk of oil spills and marine pollution which have an adverse effect on all living beings that depend on the oceans for survival. These include the marine animals, seabirds, and people who live in the coastal areas. Their well-being is a matter that cannot be ignored because the environment goes under threat.
