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Update To 25 Years Of Ocean Protection - No Offshore Oil Drilling North Coast

by Tomas DiFiore
This Interim Moratorium On Fracking In Mendocino County, also seeks to employ language that encompasses evolving technologies which may attempt to open up or seek access to, untapped reservoirs or known reserves, whether onshore or offshore, in the unincorporated areas of Mendocino County.
Better than an MPA,
Better than the MLPA(i).

An update to 25 years of Ocean Protection - No Offshore Oil Drilling
Extending The Cordell Bank & Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary, beyond the 39th parallel at Alder Creek, Point Arena, southern Mendocino County.

Proposed Interim Ordinance Of The County Of Mendocino

Imposing A Temporary Moratorium On Oil And Or Gas Exploration And Development Within The County Of Mendocino And Declaring The Urgency Thereof

This Interim Moratorium On Fracking In Mendocino County, also seeks to employ language that encompasses evolving technologies which may attempt to open up or seek access to, untapped reservoirs or known reserves, whether onshore or offshore, in the unincorporated areas of Mendocino County. The southern extent of the geographic boundaries of the Moratorium overlap the Gulf of the Farallones Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary Expansion boundaries (at) the 39th parallel at Alder Creek, Point Arena and extend southward to the Gualala River and the Mendocino/Sonoma County line, and the northern boundary be declared at the Mendocino/Humboldt County line.

Sanctuary designation wouldn’t mean fisheries restrictions, says Mary Schramm, public outreach specialist at the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary, but would protect the area from oil exploration and drilling. Although there are considerable shale deposits offshore, California has had a moratorium on offshore oil drilling for decades, and Tupper Hull, a spokesman for the Western States Petroleum Association, said the major oil producers that make up the WSPA “have no publicly stated interest in looking for, or developing whatever oil resources may exist in northern California.” Bay Nature Article by Rachel Diaz-Bastin on December 17, 2013
http://baynature.org/articles/cordell-bank-gulf-farallones-looking-expand/

WSPA - CIPA, Californians Still Say NO DRILL NO SPILL

The California Independent Petroleum Association (CIPA) is a non-profit, non-partisan trade association representing approximately 500 independent crude oil and natural gas producers, royalty owners, and service and supply companies operating in California. Our members represent approximately 70% of California's total oil production and 90% of California's natural gas production.

Access To California Offshore Resources
The Minerals Management Service (MMS) estimates that there are over 10 billion barrels of crude oil in federal waters off the Pacific Coast that are in currently unavailable for leasing. Given this estimate is based on 25 year old seismic data, the actual number could be much higher. Currently, 27 platforms produce crude in federal and state waters off California’s coast. These platforms, along with onshore locations, could be utilized to reach much of the known reserves off California’s coast without having to erect any new offshore platforms. CIPA encourages decision-makers to include existing infrastructure and onshore locations in eligible offshore projects.

The focus of CIPA is not on technology and reserves, but legislative and regulatory affairs. CIPA represents the diverse interests of its membership before the California state legislature, the US Congress, and numerous federal, state, and local regulatory agencies. The association is an advocate of free market principles, eliminating duplicative regulation, stimulating recovery of domestic resources, and improving the industry’s public image.

According to an alert from the Ocean Protection Coalition of Mendocino County, "The latest seismic data contain enough information to determine the genesis and orientation of the offshore fault system and associated folds. Basin modeling indicates hydrocarbon generation has occurred in the Miocene source beds. The model estimates the Point Arena basin contains multibillion barrel potential, trapped in large antiforms associated with the San Andreas system.
http://0-http://www.osti.gov.iii-server.ualr.edu/energycitations/product.biblio.jsp?osti_id=6729782

There has been pressure for years from other states and the oil industry to open oil drilling operations off the coast of Mendocino County and Humboldt County.

Ban Fracking In Mendocino County, Mendocino County is not a producing county at this time.

WHEREAS, long term pollution of the county’s water, air, soil and watersheds will have severe economic and social impacts on Mendocino County’s infrastructure, services, and its residential, farming and fishing communities, as well as wildlife, and tourism; and
WHEREAS, SB 4 Well Stimulation Regulations exemptions under the SDWA (re: fracking) on basin and sub-basin aquifers dis-proportionately affect low density populations in rural counties who currently depend on these aquifers for drinking and irrigation, and the future beneficial use of the (safe drinking) waters of the State including aquifers serving non-recognized Tribal Members on land parcels, Rancherias, or reservations;

Contamination of any of the near shore waters of Northern California and North Central California is not acceptable. And as a last thought; oil and gas production and refining processes are exempted from stormwater runoff laws.

California Slick Water Horizontal Fracking Moratorium Now!
http://banslickwaterfracking.blogspot.com/

Please sign (one of two) current Mendocino County petitions to ban fracking:
http://www.credomobilize.com/petitions/ban-fracking-in-mendocino-county-1

Tomas DiFiore
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