[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 103 (Thursday, June 22, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1307]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


 PROTECT CALIFORNIA'S ECONOMY AND BEAUTY: KEEP THE BAN ON OFFSHORE OIL 
                                DRILLING

                                 ______


                            HON. BOB FILNER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, June 22, 1995
  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, for more than 14 years, Californians have 
enjoyed protection from the dangers of offshore oil drilling. It is 
imperative that the moratorium on offshore oil drilling be extended 
permanently.
  This is an issue on which all Californians agree:
  First, local, State, and Federal elected officials support the ban: I 
have been contacted by Governor Wilson, our representatives in the 
State legislature, and our local city councils in support of extending 
the ban.
  Second, business and environmentalist leaders support the ban: at a 
recent press conference in San Diego, business, environmental, and 
tourism officials came together to indicate their support for the 
permanent extension of the ban on offshore oil drilling.
  Third, the voters of San Diego agree: in 1986, more than 75 percent 
of San Diegans voted in favor of a ban on offshore oil drilling within 
100 miles of our coast.
  Our key concern is the devastation that oil drilling would cause to 
San Diego's $3.6 billion-a-year tourism industry! Quite frankly, the 
small amount of oil that some people guess is available in our kelp 
beds is simply not worth the damage to our economy that offshore oil 
drilling would cause.
  We all know--no matter how careful we are--accidents happen. We 
cannot--we will not--accept the risk of offshore oil drilling so that a 
few large oil companies can add to their wealth. We will not allow the 
economic and environmental damage caused in Santa Barbara, Prince 
William Sound, or the Gulf of Mexico to be repeated anywhere on 
California's coast.
  We urge this Congress to act now and protect California's economy and 
beauty--extend the ban on offshore oil drilling permanently.


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