Not on Public Lands

This matter concerns an attempt to foist on us oil leasing and hydraulic fracturing in 1.6 million acres of our federally-protected public lands here on the Central Coast.

Supervisor Gregg Hart’s resolution opposing further dangerous oil operations here aims to protect us all. We can hope that a measure of wisdom and courage will also come to Supervisors Lavagnino and Adam. If not, we have the next election to correct matters. And, thankfully, Joan Hartmann is a District Supervisor and deserves our continued support against Big Oil’s candidate, Bruce Porter.

The entire Trump administration scheme to frack here is in pursuit of short-term profit for a few, and more oil and gas than we need or can ever safely use.

There are many well-documented concerns about fracking’s disastrous effects. Its proponents concede that it can contaminate our water, pollute our air, and lead to dangerous levels of seismic activity. Moreover, oil operations and their extensive infrastructure would increase the risk of calamitous forest fires.

We depend on the wisdom of our county supervisors for decisions that will encourage our economy to grow in safe, smart and sustainable ways… ways that bring more good jobs and a wholesome and hopeful environment for our youth, while promoting less, not more, emphysema and cancer.

The board may not have it within its power to block outright this ill-considered plan. We depend on all of our elected officials and agencies of government to work in our best interest. This means simply doing everything possible to place roadblocks to protect our county from the countless destructive effects of this alien and ill-conceived Bureau of Land Management proposal.