Offshore drilling cautions

The rising price of gasoline has encouraged North Carolina congresswoman Sue Myrick to introduce legislation to allow states to decide whether to drill for oil offshore, the Charlotte Observer reports. If there is to be a revision of the offshore drilling moratorium, it shouldn't be made on a state-by-state basis.

The nature of ocean currents means that any problems accompanying offshore drilling allowed by one state would be experienced by others along the coast. Offshore drilling policy should be made at the federal level, not by legislatures who might be unduly influenced by the prospect of adding oil revenues to their coffers.

Further, before Congress advances offshore drilling as a solution to high gas prices, it should consider the almost unified opposition of the governors of coastal states the last time the issue arose. Nine coastal governors complained in 2006 that coastal drilling could threaten the tourism industry on which their states rely. South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford said: "Tourism is our state's number one industry, and we don't think it makes sense to undertake something that could potentially damage our coast."

The House approved lifting the offshore drilling moratorium in 2006, but it failed in the Senate.

The Interior Department has supported the idea of offshore drilling for oil and natural gas, with Interior Secretary Dick Kempthorne insisting that it "can be accomplished in a safe and environmentally sound manner." While that may normally be the case, exceptions point to the hazards of offshore operations, to fisheries and the coast. For example, a broken hose at a Norwegian offshore platform late last year allowed a discharge of 25,000 barrels of crude oil into the North Sea.

No question, the rising price of gas will increase the pressure for more domestic production. Any renewed discussion of offshore drilling should be part of the larger energy debate that considers conservation and other energy sources.

Any change to the offshore moratorium should be included in the debate on the nation's ocean policy now under way in the House. A comprehensive report from the Pew Ocean Commission cited problems caused by fragmented ocean policies at the state and national levels.

The impulse for offshore drilling shouldn't be allowed to derail efforts for comprehensive management of ocean resources.