Undersea Oil & Gas Drilling, and Mining
What do you think of
when you
hear the word "beach"?
How would you feel if your favorite was spoiled by oil?
And if the corals and turtles and loons and other marine life died?
And if the people who lived on the shores found the sources of their food and livelihood poisoned?
What does your faith or spiritual belief tell you ?
Undersea oil drilling and mining offer economic benefits to certain industry segments. We often think only of the large spills and leaks, but the pollution is continuous. There are the smaller leaks and spills that do not make the news, with millions of gallons spilled annually from thousands of oil rigs and pipelines.
Unfortunately, this is not the only pollution. Just to run the drilling and mining rigs requires unavoidable extensive pollution:
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drilling muds and lubricants for the tools release toxic chemicals and minerals, including mercury and lead, in the oceans
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produced waters contaminated by oil are a byproduct flushed in the seas
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drilling, explosions, and air guns cause distress, deafening, and death to marine wildlife
The pollution ruins fisheries, tourism, and wildlife watching and other recreational activities. The contaminants enter the marine food chain and make their way into seafood, causing public health concerns worldwide. The costs of these negative effects to coastal communities is extensive.
Sound pollution from drilling and explosions for mining deafen marine mammals, such as whales, dolphins, and porpoises, and causes them to flee the noise and beach on shore, dying there.
In 2015, an estimated 143,000 gallons of oil spilled off Santa Barbara, California. Among the dead animals found were more than 204 birds and 106 marine mammals.
The Deepwater Horizon disaster killed 11 people, injured 17 more, released approximately 171 million gallons of oil, and applied 1.8 million gallons of toxic chemicals to disperse the oil. These chemicals are reported to be harmful to humans and wildlife. The short- and long-term devastation and ongoing damage to the coastal economies, ocean species, and public health showcase what small leaks are doing daily without public notice, and without public funds or attention for restoration.
The US Administration Plans to Reduce Safety Regulations, and Open the Nation's Continental Shelf to Oil Drilling and Mining
To find out how you and others in your community can advocate for wiser policies, click here.