Odd Fact About No on P

Measure P is about the extraction of oil and gas, and if passed, Measure P would outlaw the future permitting of the “well-stimulation treatments” commonly known as steam injection, acidization, and fracking, all of which use massive amounts of water amid our ever-worsening drought.

Not only do these techniques use massive amounts of water, they threaten nearby groundwater with virtually permanent contamination, very bad news for anyone who draws on nearby aquifers via backyard wells or the local water utility.

Also, our massive use of fossil fuels over the past 150 years has been causing climate change. This means that if we don’t want to make our shifting planetary climate even more unpredictable, we need to keep roughly 80 percent of known fossil fuel reserves in the ground. Scientists are telling us this. Please look this number up!

Here’s the odd fact: Fewer than 450,000 people live in Santa Barbara County. We are being told that the No on P campaign has about two million dollars in the bank, which means, as of now, roughly five dollars has been spent to convince each of us to vote “no” on Measure P.

Let me repeat: In order to sway county voters, the No on P campaign has spent more than five dollars per resident to affect what we are thinking about Measure P. That was just through September. You can be sure that Californians for Energy Independence (Chevron, Western States Petroleum Association, Big Oil) will continue to pour money into the No on P campaign in October.

Luckily for us, in elections, people are still more important than money. We know that protecting our water supply and air quality is more important than protecting a few dozen companies. Vote “yes” on Measure P, because people are more important than profits.