THE SUMTER ITEM N.G. Osteen 1843-1936 The Watchman and Southron
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2016 H.G. Osteen 1870-1955 Founder, The Item
H.D. Osteen 1904-1987 The Item
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Margaret W. Osteen 1908-1996 The Item Hubert D. Osteen Jr. Chairman & Editor-in-Chief Graham Osteen Co-President Kyle Osteen Co-President Jack Osteen Editor and Publisher Larry Miller CEO Rick Carpenter Managing Editor
20 N. Magnolia St., Sumter, South Carolina 29150 • Founded October 15, 1894
Ban seismic testing off S.C. coast T
his past week, President Barack Obama had the opportunity to permanently protect our vibrant tourism, recreation and commercial fishing economies of the entire Atlantic Coast from offshore oil drilling. Disappointingly, he used his statutory power to protect only ecologically sensitive offshore areas from Maine to the Chesapeake Bay. Many from North Carolina to Florida are asking why they didn’t get permanent protection also. Mr. Obama had heard overwhelming and unprecedented unified opposition to offshore drilling and exploration because of its threat to our coastal economies. Making their business arguments against offshore drilling: The Business Alliance for Protecting the Atlantic Coast, with over 35,000 businesses, including those of the S.C. Small Business Chamber of Commerce, and 500,000 commercial fishing families from Maine to Florida. … 121 Atlantic Coast local governments, including every municipal government on the S.C. coast. … 64 members of Congress of both parties from Atlantic Coast states, including two Republicans and one Democrat from S.C. … S.C.’s incoming Republi-
COMMENTARY can Gov. Henry McMaster. Mr. Obama heard our clear and strong message. Testing and drilling for oil off the Atlantic Coast should not be allowed. It would threaten our Frank economies and jobs Knapp Jr. that depend on clean beaches and a healthy ocean. The inevitable oil spills would harm our local communities forever. But instead of basing his decision on concerns for our economies, he decided to listen only to science. Mr. Obama gave permanent protection from offshore drilling to 31 deep canyons along the Atlantic Coast from Chesapeake Bay to Maine because scientists insist that these areas of “enhanced biodiversity” including coral, sponges, crabs, and fish are deserving of protection. It wasn’t that he was not sympathetic to the economic reasons for banning drilling off the Atlantic Coast. Rather it was concern for the inevitable court and congressional challenges to his actions by supporters of Big Oil.
It was felt that banning offshore drilling could stand up against the opponents if the decision was based on science, even though that section of the law does not require this to be the rationale. So now the South Atlantic Coast has much to worry about even before any possible drilling. Exploration for oil deposits in this area could receive permits from the Obama administration at any time. The process, called seismic airgun blasting, is an old, dangerous technology that blasts extremely loud sound waves miles below the seafloor in a hunt for oil deposits. One seismic vessel can tow up to 96 airguns that can cover an area 21 times larger than the National Mall in Washington. These blasts are repeated every 10 to 12 seconds and can be heard for thousands of miles under water. If economic reasons are not sufficient for Mr. Obama to ban offshore drilling for the South Atlantic Coast, then he should deny the up to a half dozen seismic testing permits he is considering based on science. Here is what Bureau of Ocean Energy Management scientists say will happen with seismic testing: Marine mammals rely on sound for feeding, communication, navigation
and mating. Studies have found that seismic airgun blasting can cause hearing impairment as well as physiological and behavioral changes. BOEM data indicate that up to 138,000 marine mammals could be directly injured or harmed in this way. Millions more will be disturbed. Other scientific studies have found that seismic testing negatively impacts fish and reduces commercial fish catches by 40 to 80 percent. Marine scientists tell us that the South Atlantic Coast also has ecologically sensitive areas like Cape Hatteras off of the North Carolina shore and the Charleston Bump off the S.C. coast. Scientists also warn that seismic testing could bring the extinction of the endangered right whale. Denying all seismic testing permits would give time for new, less damaging testing technology to be developed and for appeals to President Elect Trump to protect our jobs and economies from multinational oil companies. Mr. Obama at least owes us that. Frank Knapp is the president and CEO of the South Carolina Small Business Chamber of Commerce and cofounder of the Business Alliance for Protecting the Atlantic Coast.
COMMENTARY
Fear thee well, 2016 C
HARLESTON — As usual, the year’s end brings reflections and ruminations on what was and what is to be. This time around, however, it feels as though an era is coming to an end. That gentle frisson between past and future about which columnists customarily write feels vaguely apocalyptic as we approach the new year. The usual regrets — too much ice cream, not enough exercise, too quick with a retort, not enough thank-you Kathleen notes — all feel Parker quaintly irrelevant juxtaposed against a collection of very real fears about the future. During a year and a half of bitter political infighting — sister against sister, neighbor against neighbor — we’ve lost a better part of ourselves and unleashed armies of vengeful strangers. To put a fine point on it, Donald Trump’s election has released a malevolent spirit upon the land. He invoked the magic message — essentially them vs. us — and the demons disembarked from their dark hiding places. He raided the lost ark, lifted the lid, and the whirlwind of humankind’s worst impulses escaped. Hyperbolic, yes. But when the next leader of the free world casually comments that we need to build up our nuclear arsenal — and seems to welcome a return of the Cold War — alarm expressed in the strongest terms possible is required. When such alarm did find expression around the nation and the world, the president-elect huddled in his “fake news” bunker and claimed that his remarks were quoted incompletely. He took special aim at NBC News, tweeting that the network “purposely left out this part of my nuclear quote: ‘until such time as the world comes to its senses regarding nukes.’ Dishonest!” If NBC left out the balance of his tweet, shame on them, but the rest of what he said adds nothing to assuage
‘To put a fine point on it, Donald Trump’s election has released a malevolent spirit upon the land. He invoked the magic message — essentially them vs. us — and the demons disembarked from their dark hiding places.’ the larger concern that he thinks we need more nukes. Or, since this apparently needs pointing out, that he believes having more nukes will have no effect whatsoever until the rest of the world comes to its senses. My guess is the rest of the world is thinking the exact same thing: This president-elect is not in his senses — and he makes no sense. Trump’s complete original quote, as usual offered via Twitter, was: “The United States must greatly strengthen and expand its nuclear capability until such time as the world comes to its senses regarding nukes.” Really? By “greatly” expanding our already huge nuclear arsenal, other leaders will come to their senses regarding nukes? Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed earlier on the same day that he wishes to boost his country’s nuclear strength,
too. Just great. And, really, again. What’s with making such war-mongering threats when you’re not in the White House yet? Tweeting on matters of such import is unpresidential, not to mention unmanly. Also, it’s insane! I could pause here and write verbatim the emails and social-media comments certain to follow these observations. They’re as predictable as a 3 a.m. tweet from Trump Tower. This, too, is part of what’s frightening as we take our leave of 2016. People who voted for Trump refuse to critique his behavior through any lens but that of having won a contest. “We won, you lost — get over it” is what now passes for a serious dialogue about matters of immense importance. The notion that people who still express concerns — including a
growing list of psychiatrists and psychologists who’ve signed a letter suggesting the man isn’t well — are just sore losers is nonsense. When the president-elect of the United States so cavalierly threatens to unravel the fragile threads that hold civilization together, there are no winners. He or she who is not worried is not paying attention. My personal stake, other than the fears herein described, is well and good. What’s bad for the republic is good for columnists and cartoonists, though this time, I admit, the muse’s generosity is less enjoyable. These are also not simple partisan fears. Many Republicans I know are “slightly terrified,” as one Trump voter recently put it to me. That most, if not all, Democrats are, too, doesn’t have to mean they’re all excessively disappointed, though many surely are. Nor, as the incensed have written, does my non-support of Trump translate to support for Hillary Clinton. We call that a non sequitur. And when it comes to abusing logic, Trump wins hands down. Kathleen Parker’s email address is kathleenparker@washpost.com. © 2016, Washington Post Writers Group
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