Goleta's Anti-Drilling Resolution Back to the Drawing Board

Goleta officials in opposing oil production are voting for energy poverty and more air pollution for residents.

Last update: 3:00 a.m. EDT Sept. 17, 2008
LAS VEGAS, NV, Sep 17, 2008 (MARKET WIRE via COMTEX) -- Arctic Oil & Gas Corp. (PINKSHEETS: AOAG) (351 million shares issued), a petroleum exploration company, is pleased to announce that the Company and partners proposed (40% AOAG equity) Santa Barbara OCS-State petroleum lease development project, on known oil accumulations containing between 250-500 million barrels oil.

The proposed Santa Barbara offshore oil and gas production would be significantly net-positive for the environment.

AOAG has offered significant energy and financial benefits to Santa Barbara County Residents as well as local, State and national treasuries. The case for drilling is compelling:

1. $2.50 GASOLINE for Santa Barbara County residents and County vehicles
from AOAG production.
2. $2.50 GASOLINE for all hotel guests in Santa Barbara County.
3. County-wide, Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) car conversions facilities.
4. $1.50 CNG for Santa Barbara and Coast residents for flexi-fuel
vehicles.
5. Substantial Annual Grants to environmental study groups and renewable
energy programs.
6. Significant decrease in County-wide Air pollution from lower natural
reservoir seepage.
7. Lower C02 emissions for the County and State of California.
8. Significantly reduce greenhouse gas methane emissions from offshore
gas seeps.
9. Much cleaner Santa Barbara beaches and oceans by reduction in beach
tar balls.
10. Large new natural gas supplies from Bering Sea, landing via Santa
Barbara County, to lower America's C02 emissions from out of State
coal-fired power plants.
11. Increased local, State and National energy income streams, with
monies all staying inside America.
12. Provide Complete Santa Barbara energy self reliance and improve
America's energy security.
13. Significant high-paying local jobs boost.
14. Significant increased cash energy royalties to County of approximately
$250-500 million p.a. will improve the quality of life for all Santa
Barbara residents.
15. Special Proposed Community royalty payment from Bering Sea Gas imports
landings to fund FREE County-Wide clinics and a new FREE County
Hospital.
16. Lower-cost CNG for public transport-busses and vans, will enable
disadvantaged and senior citizens to travel more freely.
17. Natural Gas for County home heating and cooking at a 30% discount
to the prevailing rate.
18. Significant Increase in Local Property Values due to many of the
above benefits.
19. Increased State and Federal royalties will help treasuries balance
their budgets.

Technology has made drilling nearly risk-free and demand for energy is growing. According to the EIA, the U.S. will still need 47% more oil and 54% more natural gas by 2025.

http://www.strategicnine.com

Tell the real story Peter. "Lie til they buy".

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SOS received 5 figures from Venoco. It's a PR front.

Despite improvements in technology the gulf of mexico constantly has at least one significant leak per year, just last month tourists couldn't walk in the french quarter of New Orleans due to the fumes.

No thanks. Venoco, despite their profit, is trying to hold us hostage. They are saying they'll continue their barge operations unless we allow them to drill more and further imperil our fragile ecosystem. It's not about profit or cash, they have enough.

They think we're stupid. They're funding these PR groups and twisting our arms.

Drilling will decrease oil prices by 1/2 of 1 cent in 30 years according to government research. And the oil will be sold in the open market, it has nothing to do with decreasing oil prices in a significant way or removing our addiction to foreign oil. Expanded oil drilling only accomplished making Venoco receive more profits, which isn't a bad thing... unless you consider the environmental risks we face each day that oil is pumped from the ocean, not to mention expanding that capacity.

No thanks.

The only locals in favor of more local oil production are senile or transplants. I grew up here, surfed in the 69 oil spill, and I know not one person I grew up with who is in favor of more local oil production. Mr. Bennet is a retired fireman. Thank you for your service and on issues related to fire and safety he is an expert. He knows nothing about oil and the fact that he got personally involved shows nothing but political influence of the oil industry on his vote at the Council. I hope people remember that in the next election.

I say we forget what the community actually thinks about this and listen to someone who posts rude and offensive comments on nearly every single story in the Independent.

You mentioned you were into facts.

Me too.

The scientists who funded the study that SOS references say that SOS overstates their conclusions:

http://www.legendarysurfers.com/das/blog...

> However, Bruce P. Luyendyk, a UCSB professor of marine geophysics who conducted the study used by SOS, said he believes the group is “overstating” the negative impacts of seepage.

Regarding SOS, you have to be insane to not recognize this as a PR front. Go read the book, "Toxic Sludge is Good for You". Local community grassroots astroturfing is a time honored business for oil companies.

2 minutes of research revealed the address in SOS's whois information:

121 Via del Cielo

A google search reveals this company is there:

http://www.mmcg.net/ (The Marine Mammal
Consulting Group (MMCG) )

What do they do?

MMCG helps industry comply with such regulations, yet still complete projects on time and on budget.

Their employees have worked on projects with oil companies:

http://www.mmcg.net/projects.html
http://www.mmcg.net/howorth.html

And the founder?

MMCG was established in 1992 by Peter Howorth and Lad Handelman. Howorth has worked with marine mammals since 1962. He is recognized by state and federal regulatory agencies as a mitigation expert. He has worked extensively in this country as well as in other countries. Handelman was a founder and CEO of two of today's premier offshore underwater contractors, Oceaneering International and Cal Dive International.

They stand to profit from more oil drilling since they will be needed to issue reports for expanded drilling.

That's a far cry from a bunch of people in our community clamoring to stop oil seepage via oil drilling.

The more you look into this, the more interesting it gets. Judy Rossiter is on SOS's whois page and authors articles for SOS. Is this the same Judy Rossiter who owns the PRStore in Santa Maria?

http://www.prstore.com/locations/califor...

jrossiter@prstore.com

PR companies are well known for astroturfing, could there be a link? Our local reporters are always churning out stories about how the waves break this way or that way, this could make for an interesting investigative report don't you think?

Lad Handelman donated to Mitt Romney.

http://romneyfacts.com/money.php?q=laite...

Pic and info about him:

http://www.soscalifornia.org/about.html

pwned.

The 5 figure came from an environmental group but I'm looking for a better source.

The quote from the UCSB scientist came from the UCSB scientist.

The point is, at first glance this is a harmless group of random liberal citizens excited about stopping oil seepage. Then you look further and you see a bunch of ties to the oil industry. And GOPers, an anomaly in this town, which tends to be pretty liberal. A random group of local citizens doesn't stand to profit from expanded oil drilling, this group does. How it works in the PR industry is a client comes to you asking to influence the public because the public is adamantly against their position(ie everyone is anti-oil). So the client uses his connections, maybe someone from Venoco/Exxon calls the founders of SOS after working with them in the past, gives them some cash and they run with it, creating SOS california.

Also, Lad Handelman is the founder of this company:

http://www.oceaneering.com/index.asp

> Oceaneering is a global oilfield provider of engineered services and products primarily to the offshore oil and gas industry, with a focus on deepwater applications.

But it is public so he probably sold his chunk.

More interestingly, this company:

http://www.divecon.com/

> We provide a full range of services that includes Marine Construction, Commercial Diving, Remote Operated Vehicle (ROV), and Vessel contracting services.

Handelman is a board member:

http://www.divecon.com/m-lad.html

So we have just proved that he stands to profit from more oil drilling. Contact with the oil industry is fine, but standing to profit from this group's actions is a different matter, I think that is highly relevant to anyone looking into SOS California and their motivations.

http://www.soscalifornia.org

This gets more and more interesting as I look into this. But I am but a layman at this game, I can only google search. This would definitely make for a spicy investigative report. So thanks for helping to kick it off, I already contacted the Independent about it and referred them to the comments of this article, they thanked me.

AShaw caught in a bald-faced lie!!!

"... I'm at a loss for words..."

That is at least a debatable position, the astroturfing SOS California group seems to be blowing smoke.

But I would disagree with you, drilling off the coast would do little to remove the addiction to foreign oil since the added oil production would be a fraction of the oil we use:

http://www.architecture2030.org/news/new...

If we really wanted to remove our addiction to foreign oil we would be spending $600B on alternative fuel research vs throwing $600B at Iraq. Oill drilling will only provide a fraction of the oil needs of the USA, 30 years from now. Research into algae-based biodiesel for example holds more promises regarding energy independence. I am all for energy independence as well.

Also, as I have said, the constantly polluted gulf of mexico does not provide an example of how far our technology has come, leaks still happen every year there, and they will happen here if we expand oil drilling. We don't hear about it because the coasts along the gulf are already ecological disaster areas. Tourists come to California, not Texas, to visit beautiful beaches. Our economy relies on tourism. What we would gain with expanded oil drilling we would lose with a decrease in tourism as we become another gulf of mexico.

Then you look at how Exxon has fought tooth and nail against paying out damages for the Exxon Valdez oil spill, taking it all the way to the supreme court, and it's clear that expanded oil drilling is a losing proposition for Santa Barbara. Of course people in north county who wouldn't be affected by spills will clamor for it.

And I never said that we should oppose new drilling since oil companies will make a profit. I don't care about their profit, it's only interesting in terms of motivations, I care about our fragile ecosystem. Make as much profit as you want, just don't mess with our environment. I make plenty of profit, but of course I do that with websites and I don't take a dump over the environment.

They said years ago no problem, they would put a pipeline in, remove the barge, and now it turns out they want to expand drilling before they do these things. Again they are having their way with us and they haven't even expanded oil drilling yet. How stupid do they think we are... PR fronts(Oil Drilling is Good For You), backing out on past statements.

Then of course there are these quotes after the 1969 spill:

Fred L. Hartley, president of Union Oil Co.:
"I don't like to call it a disaster," because there has been no loss of human life.
"I am amazed at the publicity for the loss of a few birds."

I don't mind expanded drilling in the gulf of mexico, it's already an ecological disaster area.

I agree that SOS and its motivations are questionable. After doing my own investigating into the backgrounds of the board members and employees, I would like to add that the actions, motivations and integrity of their Executive Director, Judy Rossiter are also very much in question. She still claims that "She is also co-owner of a marketing and public relations company serving north Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties." That company (PRstore) went belly up just a couple of months after opening their doors in 2006, as a result of her refusing to make her capital contributions, breach of contract, fraud?, etc. I do not know all of the details; however, from what I have heard from several sources, the evidence against her points toward criminal intent without remorse. If I were her business partner, I would have sued her long ago. She would not comment.