Dianne Feinstein: “I rise today to oppose S. 3711, which will allow drilling in the gulf and create a new revenue-sharing scheme to provide…”

“I rise today to oppose S. 3711, which will allow drilling in the gulf and create a new revenue-sharing scheme to provide additional resources for the Gulf States. Let me first say that I am not opposed to drilling in the gulf. In fact, in 2001, I voted to open a portion of the gulf, known as lease sale 181, to drilling. That vote was a codification of the agreement between former President Clinton and the former Governor of Florida, Lawton Chiles. Yet the agreement was repudiated after President Bush came into office and reduced the amount of acreage that could be drilled in the Gulf of Mexico at the request of Florida's Governor Jeb Bush. In fact, I rise today in opposition to this bill not because it opens up areas of the Gulf to drilling, but because it protects the west coast of Florida from drilling until 2022--10 years beyond the current Presidential moratorium, while providing no additional protections for California's coast. California should be accorded the same protection as Florida gets in this bill. An oilspill would scar our coastline, costing billions of dollars and destroying vulnerable marine ecosystems. In addition, a healthy coast is vital to California's economy and our quality of life. Our State's Ocean-dependent industries are estimated to generate $17 billion of revenue each year. That is why Californians continue to be nearly united in their opposition to drilling off the coast.…”