Saturday, July 19, 2014

How do we stop offshore oil drilling from destroying St. Augustine's tourist economy, beautiful beaches and natural environment?

Florida's beautiful coast is threatened by global ocean rise and by the announcement yesterday that offshore oil exploration --using what the New York Times calls "compressed-air guns that blast the ocean bottom with thousands of sound pulses as loud as a howitzer" -- will be renewed off our coasts.
This will likely kill ocean creatures and lead to renewed offshore oil drilling.
This would destroy our coast here in St. Augustine and St. Johns County, Florida.
No way!
Our St. Johns County Commission and City Commissions in St. Augustine and St. Augustine Beach all oppose this outrage.
St. Augustine and Northeast Florida is ground zero for Big Oil's attack on our environment -- the North Atlantic right whales have their babies -- there are only some 350 right whales left. Endangered sea turtles their eggs here and return here. They are among the oldest and grandest species on this planet, a joy to behold. Let's not let Big Oil kill them. Public protest is essential.
Two strategies -- litigation and legislation:
1. Federal court litigation must be commenced challenging offshore oil drilling here, grounded in the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Endangered Species Act (ESA), Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) and Administrative Procedure Act (APA).
2. We must rededicate ourselves to enacting the St. Augustine National Historical Park and National Seashore Act. www.staugustgreen.com
In any Environmental Impact Statement under NEPA, the Interior Department would have to say this is a "sensitive area" because of the St. Augustine National Historical Park and Seashore!
Thus, we preserve our coast, protect endangered wildlife, protect our economy, and attract historic and environmental tourists who spend more time and money here. As Wallace Stegner said, our national parks are "America's Best Idea."
Voila!
Viva!
Otherwise, we're looking at massive oil spills, preceded by compressed air guns blasting noise "as loud as a howitzer" and dead right whales, loggerhead, leatherback, Kemp's Ridley, green and hawksbill sea turtles and other sea critters dying (along with our tourist economy). We don't want to destroy this paradise thattaway.
No "using compressed-air guns that blast the ocean bottom with thousands of sound pulses as loud as a howitzer," thank you.
No offshore oil drilling off Florida's coast, please.
As Sir Winston Spencer Churchill said, "We shall fight them on the beaches.







































































WITH YOUR HELP, IN THE WORDS OF LBJ TO CONGRESS AFTER SELMA, "WE SHALL OVERCOME!"

Work tirelessly for the St. Augustine National Historical Park and National Seashore. www.staugustgreen.com

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