BC Government rhetoric doesn’t match California’s actions
By
Dogwood Initiative
May 31, 2007
VICTORIA – In the contest to become North America’s greenest politico, Gordon Campbell’s continued promotion of coastal energy projects contrasts with California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s recent actions to protect California’s coastal waters from oil and gas exploration and drilling
VICTORIA – In the contest to become North America’s greenest politico, Gordon Campbell’s continued promotion of coastal energy projects contrasts with California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s recent actions to protect California’s coastal waters from oil and gas exploration and drilling.
“In addition to the Gubernator’s recent leadership on climate change, California has taken action to protect their coastal waters by banning drilling for oil off their coast,” says Will Horter, lawyer and Executive Director of the Dogwood Initiative. “In contrast, while spouting green rhetoric, Premier Gordon Campbell and Prime Minister Stephen Harper support efforts to open British Columbia’s fragile north coast up to oil drilling and oil tankers.”
British Columbia’s coast has been protected by a moratorium on tanker traffic and coastal oil exploration and drilling for over 35 years. Eight consecutive Prime Ministers have upheld the moratorium (with the support of 9 BC Premiers), recognizing the huge risks that oil tankers and coastal drilling pose to the environment and economy of BC’s coast.
Premier Campbell’s recent rhetoric surrounding the soon-to-be-released climate action plan is at odds with his government’s actions in continuing to promote coastal energy projects.
Six pipeline and tanker projects that could bring up to 320 tankers a year into Kitimat and Prince Rupert are being proposed for British Columbia’s fragile north coast. These projects put British Columbia’s coastal communities and $1.9 billion fishing industry at risk.
Three BC-wide polls commissioned by the Dogwood Initiative confirm that three out of four (75%) British Columbians are opposed to tankers transporting crude oil through BC’s inside coastal waters. The polls show that support for a tanker ban is highest in the lower mainland, with 8 in 10 British Columbians living outside the greater Vancouver area opposing tankers in BC’s inside passage.
“British Columbian’s treasure the abundance of life and diversity of landscapes along their coast,” says Charles Campbell, also of the Dogwood Initiative. “The Premier should listen to British Columbians, follow California’s example and abandon plans to welcome oil tankers and drilling rigs to our still-vibrant coastal waters.”
“It is clear that British Columbians do not want oil tankers in our northern coastal waters,” said Will Horter, lawyer and Dogwood Initiative’s Executive Director. “Governments need to take action in reducing emissions in order to prevent a climate crisis; the Gubernator is walking the talk, Gordon Campbell isn’t.”
Premier Gordon Campbell continues to promote coastal oil and gas drilling, a stark contradiction to his commitment to addressing climate change in the most recent Speech from the Throne. By contrast, Governor Schwarzenegger and Governors Gregoire and Kulongoski, of Washington and Oregon respectively, have committed to conserving their 26 year old Congressional moratorium as part of their effort to conserve the health of the ocean and address climate change issues.
Background:
The moratorium on coastal oil and gas exploration and tanker traffic has been protecting British Columbia’s northern coast since 1972. Since 2001 the federal government has been under pressure from the BC government and oil and gas companies to lift both the moratoria despite the Royal Society of Canada’s conclusion that a great deal more study and technical expertise are needed before such drilling could even be considered.
The threats to the BC’s northern coastal communities and the global environment from oil and gas projects are numerous including:
• Oil spills would jeopardize the $1.7 billion commercial fishing, sport fishing and seafood
processing industries that rely on a healthy coastal ecology.
• Seismic testing, exploratory drilling and climate change would adversely affect over a dozen endangered and threatened species on our coast.
• British Columbia’s coast is home to some of the world’s last pristine wilderness areas,
including the Great Bear Rainforest, home of the rare white Kermode (spirit) bear, whose
habitat would be threatened by the impacts of a coastal oil spill.
• These waters are also part of important gray whale migratory routes, feeding grounds for humpback and orca whales and feed into over 650 salmon spawning rivers.
BC recently signed the “Western Regional Climate Action Initiative” (WRCAI) with California, Oregon, and California to combat climate change by identifying, evaluating and implementing ways to collectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, BC’s commitment to addressing climate change through the WRCAI Initiative is undermined by its continued push to expand fossil fuel development by opening
up our coastal waters to drilling.
By contrast, the Pacific coast signatories to WRCAI, Governors Schwarzenegger, Kulongoski and Gregoire, have taken the following steps to ensure that the moratorium on coastal drilling remains in place:
• Signed the “West Coast Governors’ Agreement on Ocean Health” in the fall of 2006, which includes a commitment to reduce offshore energy impacts, ensure clean coastal waters, restore ocean and coastal habitats and promote marine environmental protection.
• Reconfirmed their joint opposition to coastal drilling and any actions by the federal government that would weaken the national oil and gas moratorium that has been in place since for 25 years.
• Reaffirmed their commitment to alternative energy and developing positive solutions to their energy needs instead of increasing their states’ dependence on fossil fuels and the unacceptable risks that coastal oil and gas exploration entails.
• 1981: The BC government imposed a moratorium on coastal exploration in Johnstone, Georgia and Juan de Fuca straits
• 1982: BC coastal development moratorium is extended to the Queen Charlotte Basin
• 1984 to 1986: both levels of governments consider whether to lift the coastal exploration moratorium
• 1989: The devastating environmental damages from the Exxon Valdez and Nestucca oil spills convinced the federal and provincial governments to leave the moratorium in place
• 2003-2004: Natural Resources Canada commissioned a three-part review of the coastal drilling moratorium at the request of the BC Government:
• A review by the Royal Society “Expert Panel Report Review of Offshore Moratorium” concluded that the moratorium on oil tanker traffic should remain in place indefinitely due to the potential catastrophic environmental risks and that more study and technical expertise was needed before coastal oil and gas drilling could be considered.
• Link to report http://www.rsc.ca//index.php?lang_id=1&page_id=115#report
• A “Public Review Panel on the Government of Canada Moratorium on Offshore Oil and Gas Activities in the Queen Charlotte Region British Columbia” found that three quarters of British Columbian’s are in favour of maintaining the offshore moratorium.
• Link to report http://www.oilfreecoast.org/?action=d7_article_view_folder&Join_ID=87512
• A “First Nations Engagement Process” found unanimous opposition to lifting the coastal drilling moratorium among First Nations.
• Link to report – Rights, Risks and Respect
http://www.oilfreecoast.org/?action=d7_article_view_folder&Join_ID=87512
• 2007: the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) terminated funding for a project that involved seismic testing off the BC north coast due to the potential for harm to coastal marine life, such as salmon, rockfish and humpback whales. Similar types of seismic testing would occur as part of any coastal drilling, though in a much broader area and for a much longer period of time
• 2007: BC Government’s Energy Plan indicates that it will continue to work to lift both the federal and provincial moratorium on coastal drilling and development
For more information, contact:
Will Horter, Executive Director – Dogwood Initiative
Tel: 250-370-9930 ext. 23 Email: whorter@dogwoodinitiative.org Web: www.dogwoodinitiative.org
Oonagh O’Connor, Campaign Manager – Living Oceans Society
Tel: 250-973-6580 Email: oonagh@livingoceans.org Web: www.livingoceans.org
Margot McMillan, Staff Counsel – West Coast Environmental Law
Tel: 604-220-2520 Email: margot_mcmillan@wcel.org
“In addition to the Gubernator’s recent leadership on climate change, California has taken action to protect their coastal waters by banning drilling for oil off their coast,” says Will Horter, lawyer and Executive Director of the Dogwood Initiative. “In contrast, while spouting green rhetoric, Premier Gordon Campbell and Prime Minister Stephen Harper support efforts to open British Columbia’s fragile north coast up to oil drilling and oil tankers.”
British Columbia’s coast has been protected by a moratorium on tanker traffic and coastal oil exploration and drilling for over 35 years. Eight consecutive Prime Ministers have upheld the moratorium (with the support of 9 BC Premiers), recognizing the huge risks that oil tankers and coastal drilling pose to the environment and economy of BC’s coast.
Premier Campbell’s recent rhetoric surrounding the soon-to-be-released climate action plan is at odds with his government’s actions in continuing to promote coastal energy projects.
Six pipeline and tanker projects that could bring up to 320 tankers a year into Kitimat and Prince Rupert are being proposed for British Columbia’s fragile north coast. These projects put British Columbia’s coastal communities and $1.9 billion fishing industry at risk.
Three BC-wide polls commissioned by the Dogwood Initiative confirm that three out of four (75%) British Columbians are opposed to tankers transporting crude oil through BC’s inside coastal waters. The polls show that support for a tanker ban is highest in the lower mainland, with 8 in 10 British Columbians living outside the greater Vancouver area opposing tankers in BC’s inside passage.
“British Columbian’s treasure the abundance of life and diversity of landscapes along their coast,” says Charles Campbell, also of the Dogwood Initiative. “The Premier should listen to British Columbians, follow California’s example and abandon plans to welcome oil tankers and drilling rigs to our still-vibrant coastal waters.”
“It is clear that British Columbians do not want oil tankers in our northern coastal waters,” said Will Horter, lawyer and Dogwood Initiative’s Executive Director. “Governments need to take action in reducing emissions in order to prevent a climate crisis; the Gubernator is walking the talk, Gordon Campbell isn’t.”
Backgrounder
Comparing BC and California Actions to Protect the Northeast Pacific from
Coastal Drilling
Issue:Coastal Drilling
Premier Gordon Campbell continues to promote coastal oil and gas drilling, a stark contradiction to his commitment to addressing climate change in the most recent Speech from the Throne. By contrast, Governor Schwarzenegger and Governors Gregoire and Kulongoski, of Washington and Oregon respectively, have committed to conserving their 26 year old Congressional moratorium as part of their effort to conserve the health of the ocean and address climate change issues.
Background:
The moratorium on coastal oil and gas exploration and tanker traffic has been protecting British Columbia’s northern coast since 1972. Since 2001 the federal government has been under pressure from the BC government and oil and gas companies to lift both the moratoria despite the Royal Society of Canada’s conclusion that a great deal more study and technical expertise are needed before such drilling could even be considered.
The threats to the BC’s northern coastal communities and the global environment from oil and gas projects are numerous including:
• Oil spills would jeopardize the $1.7 billion commercial fishing, sport fishing and seafood
processing industries that rely on a healthy coastal ecology.
• Seismic testing, exploratory drilling and climate change would adversely affect over a dozen endangered and threatened species on our coast.
• British Columbia’s coast is home to some of the world’s last pristine wilderness areas,
including the Great Bear Rainforest, home of the rare white Kermode (spirit) bear, whose
habitat would be threatened by the impacts of a coastal oil spill.
• These waters are also part of important gray whale migratory routes, feeding grounds for humpback and orca whales and feed into over 650 salmon spawning rivers.
BC recently signed the “Western Regional Climate Action Initiative” (WRCAI) with California, Oregon, and California to combat climate change by identifying, evaluating and implementing ways to collectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, BC’s commitment to addressing climate change through the WRCAI Initiative is undermined by its continued push to expand fossil fuel development by opening
up our coastal waters to drilling.
By contrast, the Pacific coast signatories to WRCAI, Governors Schwarzenegger, Kulongoski and Gregoire, have taken the following steps to ensure that the moratorium on coastal drilling remains in place:
• Signed the “West Coast Governors’ Agreement on Ocean Health” in the fall of 2006, which includes a commitment to reduce offshore energy impacts, ensure clean coastal waters, restore ocean and coastal habitats and promote marine environmental protection.
• Reconfirmed their joint opposition to coastal drilling and any actions by the federal government that would weaken the national oil and gas moratorium that has been in place since for 25 years.
• Reaffirmed their commitment to alternative energy and developing positive solutions to their energy needs instead of increasing their states’ dependence on fossil fuels and the unacceptable risks that coastal oil and gas exploration entails.
History of the British Columbia coastal oil and gas exploration and tanker moratorium
• 1972: Due to concerns over the potential catastrophic impacts of an oil spill the federal government imposed a moratorium on tanker traffic off British Columbia’s fragile north coast. This was followed shortly after by a federal moratorium on coastal oil and gas development• 1981: The BC government imposed a moratorium on coastal exploration in Johnstone, Georgia and Juan de Fuca straits
• 1982: BC coastal development moratorium is extended to the Queen Charlotte Basin
• 1984 to 1986: both levels of governments consider whether to lift the coastal exploration moratorium
• 1989: The devastating environmental damages from the Exxon Valdez and Nestucca oil spills convinced the federal and provincial governments to leave the moratorium in place
• 2003-2004: Natural Resources Canada commissioned a three-part review of the coastal drilling moratorium at the request of the BC Government:
• A review by the Royal Society “Expert Panel Report Review of Offshore Moratorium” concluded that the moratorium on oil tanker traffic should remain in place indefinitely due to the potential catastrophic environmental risks and that more study and technical expertise was needed before coastal oil and gas drilling could be considered.
• Link to report http://www.rsc.ca//index.php?lang_id=1&page_id=115#report
• A “Public Review Panel on the Government of Canada Moratorium on Offshore Oil and Gas Activities in the Queen Charlotte Region British Columbia” found that three quarters of British Columbian’s are in favour of maintaining the offshore moratorium.
• Link to report http://www.oilfreecoast.org/?action=d7_article_view_folder&Join_ID=87512
• A “First Nations Engagement Process” found unanimous opposition to lifting the coastal drilling moratorium among First Nations.
• Link to report – Rights, Risks and Respect
http://www.oilfreecoast.org/?action=d7_article_view_folder&Join_ID=87512
• 2007: the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) terminated funding for a project that involved seismic testing off the BC north coast due to the potential for harm to coastal marine life, such as salmon, rockfish and humpback whales. Similar types of seismic testing would occur as part of any coastal drilling, though in a much broader area and for a much longer period of time
• 2007: BC Government’s Energy Plan indicates that it will continue to work to lift both the federal and provincial moratorium on coastal drilling and development
For more information, contact:
Will Horter, Executive Director – Dogwood Initiative
Tel: 250-370-9930 ext. 23 Email: whorter@dogwoodinitiative.org Web: www.dogwoodinitiative.org
Oonagh O’Connor, Campaign Manager – Living Oceans Society
Tel: 250-973-6580 Email: oonagh@livingoceans.org Web: www.livingoceans.org
Margot McMillan, Staff Counsel – West Coast Environmental Law
Tel: 604-220-2520 Email: margot_mcmillan@wcel.org
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