Santa Barbara Independent by SB Independent

26849 energy

Like Oil and Water Military and Enviros, Politicos Don’t Mix on T-Ridge

BY K E L S E Y B R U G G E R

PAU L WELLM AN F I LE PHOTO

duced water and gases — would be transported s a game of tug-of-war over the through an underground pipeline to a plant in prospect of drilling on Vandenberg Lompoc. Air Force Base continues, it remains For nearly a decade, military officials to be seen which side will gain the declined to approve any such project, but these most ground. Under congressional pressure, new assessments indicate a change of heart. air force officials recently publicized a muchBut area environmentalists and politicians anticipated assessment that opens the possi- disagree that extended-reach drilling is safer bility for drilling — an idea previously thought compared to offshore extraction. Calling the dead. When news of the study first broke, State report “terribly flawed” and “terribly biased,” Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson introduced a Senator Jackson argued onshore drilling is not measure — SB  — any safer, because to ban offshore drilling the operation in Tranquillon Ridge would be located state waters. near the Santa Ynez On Tuesday, the River. “It defies Board of Supervisors logic,” she said, endorsed the bill in a adding the study fails to consider air3-2 vote on partisan quality issues. At lines. In a relatively the national level, succinct and cordial Congressmember fashion, supporters spoke about the cataLois Capps wrote a strophic risks of a spill letter last Septemin a designated marineber opposing any protected area, while new drilling and opponents charged the urging air force bill goes too far and officials to be more would close the door transparent. Five years ago, on future economic many of these enviopportunity. “The bill would essentially give ronmentalists and our county the same politicians actuprotections as the rest ally supported a of the state,” said Linda T-Ridge project in Krop, chief counsel an unprecedented for the Environmental agreement with Defense Center, which STOPPAGE? A bill to ban all drilling in the oil company Tranquillon Ridge state waters proposed sponsored the bill. Plains Exploration Though California by State Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson will and Production, law prohibits new off- soon be on the Assembly floor. also known as PXP. shore oil and gas leases The Environmenin state waters three miles from the shore, an tal Defense Center, which hired Jackson as a exception exists when oil from state reserves consultant, drafted a proposal that would have is drained by nearby wells in federal waters. allowed up to 17 wells from Platform Irene to Eleven oil fields off the coast straddle the state drill into two new state leases on the condition and federal boundary, but Tranquillon Ridge, of an “end date” to drilling in 2022. Thousands or T-Ridge, is the only underwater formation of acres of land were also to go into public trust. being drained by operations in federal waters. The county approved the project, which was T-Ridge is located off Vandenberg, the third estimated to produce 40 million-90 million largest air force base in the country, and the barrels of oil, but the State Lands Commission military is required to sign off on any new ultimately denied it. The player with the biggest head start to projects because drilling could potentially pose safety risks for the base and cause envi- drilling on Vandenberg is Bob Nunn and his ronmental damage. While much of the study company, Sunset Exploration, in partnership was redacted, presumably for security reasons, with ExxonMobil. On Tuesday, Nunn argued it identifies a 25- to 30-acre onshore location the bill would close the door on economic benin the southern part of the base that is “fea- efits for local cities and schools. A multiagency sible” and “preferable” for drilling up to 30 wells regulatory process would be required before through extended-reach technology. any project could advance, Nunn stressed.“I’m The chosen site, compared to several other not even the favored son here,” he said, adding potential locations, is closest to T-Ridge and a competitive process will take several years. expected to yield the largest volume of oil. According to a consultant hired by Sunset, a Space launch missions would periodically previously proposed project would generate disrupt operations for up to several days at a 113 million barrels of oil, more than $10 million time, the report states, but it does not specify in sales taxes to the county, and more than $2 how frequently. Potential debris from failed billion in royalties to the state. launches is also noted as a concern. The site Last week, the bill passed out of a fiscal would not require a processing plant, and impact committee and will soon go to the “dry oil”— after it’s been separated from pro- Assembly floor. ■

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