Letter: Our Congress members must stop Pombo’s drilling bill

Leland Yee is Speaker pro Tempore of the California State Assembly

In March, I joined a number of environmental organizations publicly expressing concern with the nomination of then Idaho Governor Dirk Kempthorne as the Secretary of the Interior, a department responsible for overseeing our National Park system, wildlife refuges, monuments, and recreation areas, and tasked with protecting the nation’s natural and cultural heritage.

Recently, Secretary Kempthorne confirmed one of our major fears when he visited the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and carelessly stated that the expansion of offshore oil drilling may be the answer to high gas prices.

Kempthorne and the Bush Administration fail to recognize that offshore oil leasing and production would degrade the quality of our air and water, adversely impact threatened and endangered species, and damage our coastal economies, including commercial fishing and tourism, which annually contributes over $50 billion to California’s economy.

A recent US Senate deal has opened the door to a conference committee which could subsequently allow enactment of Congressman Richard Pombo’s HR 4761.  This bill would seriously damage marine resources for all coastal states, erode longstanding states rights, and immediately end protection of productive coastal-dependent economies.

It is imperative that our members of Congress remember that California has spoken loud and clear on this issue.  Last year, I proudly authored and the State Legislature passed with bipartisan support AJR 41 as California’s official statement against any weakening of the long-standing offshore drilling moratorium or consideration of other damaging coastal policies.

I urge the California Congressional delegation to immediately stop the irresponsible Pombo-Bush-Kempthorne attack on our coastal environment.

Leland Y. Yee, Ph.D.
Speaker pro Tempore
California State Assembly