Wanna participate?

1. Just go to the beach at 11 AM for one hour, rain or shine.
2. Join hands for 15 minutes at 12:00 forming lines in the sand against oil drilling in our coastal waters.
3. That’s it!

It sounds like a small deal, but if enough people come out, hopefully big media’s helicopters will be flying around filming it all – just like they did back when the Hunley was raised (an incredible event btw!).

The Hands Across the Sand web page for SC has locations listed already, be sure to visit them and sign up today!

From the Shem Creek blog.

Do you oppose expanding offshore drilling in the Atlantic Ocean too?

If you’re curious about South Carolina’s offshore wind capacity, the DOE has created a nationwide map of wind currents as they move 50 meters above the surface. Their wind resource map is helping determine whether an area should be further explored as a location for wind power facilities going forward.

After enlarging the map, we can see that all of SC’s coastline is rated either good, excellent, or outstanding as a source of wind power, so when you hear that South Carolina’s potential state tax credit for the development of an off-shore wind farm is $1,063,333, it’s obvious we need to head in that direction.

One of six 10′ weather buoys for measuring winds off the Georgetown coast.
Credit: Santee Cooper

Dr. Mitchell Colgan, chairman of the College of Charleston’s Geology and Environmental Geosciences Department – who’s worked for Shell Oil, the U.S. Geological Survey and three different oil reservoirs in Alaska, New Mexico and Texas – has publicly said “I really don’t think there’s any oil out there” and “…there is no economically recoverable gas off our coast”. With that argument all but closed, we should move full steam ahead on wind power now… and it looks like we are.

With weather buoys being placed offshore at strategic locations to maximize wind monitoring, and workers retraining for wind-energy jobs in this tough economy, things are starting to look interesting in this job-stressed economy.

Using the DOE wind resource map as a guide, projections can be made to make maximize use of South Carolina’s offshore wind capacity (although the map represents wind 50 meters above water level buoys are no where near that high). Still, Santee Cooper hopes to get their monies worth out of R&D and along with grant money from the DOE, we look forward to reaping the benefits of Earth’s natural resources in a non-invasive and environmentally friendly manner going forward.

For more info, be sure to read about the South Carolina Offshore Wind Programs.

From the Shem Creek blog.

Geology expert: no offshore oil or gas, but wind is everywhere

The research funding includes $689,500 from the U.S. Department of Energy and $120,000 from Chevron of Houston, Texas.

A constructed wetland
2 years later
Credit: Wikipedia

A constructed wetland
before treatment
Credit: Wikipedia

The idea of creating wetlands ties in well with the SPA’s plans to manage wetlands, where they have promised to increase their focus on our environment by contributing $3 million to restore 22 acres of tidal marsh along the southern tip of Drum Island in lower Charleston Harbor.

This treatment has the potential to increase oil and gas production and lower the cost of treating produced waters – not to mention reusing it, for:

• irrigation,
• domestic use,
• livestock watering,
• cooling-tower water,
• municipal water use,
• treated sewage discharge dilution, and
• support of critical aquatic life and wildlife.

Professor’s Castle and Rodgers have already developed similar constructed wetlands for the energy industry, such as treating water used in coal-burning power facilities.

“Co-produced water comprises 98% of all waste generated by U.S. oil and natural gas operations. Handling and disposal of this water is the single greatest environmental impediment to natural gas and oil exploration and production.”
– Department of Energy experts

Geologist Jim Castle
(Credit: Clemson)

Environmental toxicologist
John Rodgers
(Credit: Clemson)

 

* UPDATE (related to wetlands): Learn about the importance of wetlands at EPA’s Exhibit at the 2009 Philadelphia Flower Show

Wetlands Facts

1. An acre of wetland can store up to 1.5 million gallons of floodwater.
2. As many of 1/2 of all North American bird species nest or feed in wetlands.
3. More than 50% of wetlands have been lost or destroyed nationwide in the past century.
4. 2/3 of all fish consumed worldwide are dependent on coastal wetlands at some stage in their life cycle.

From the Shem Creek blog.

Researchers receive $800K to clean contaminated water from gas, oil drilling

Should the fact that she owns stock in a few offshore drilling companies be of any alarm to us? I sure hope not, but to be honest, even though this was my first time voting, I still don’t trust politicians, or anybody with power (meaning lots of money in this case). Too many times we hear of crap going on in the news, and lord only knows how much stuff goes on that we don’t even learn of!

The WSJ says Pres. Obama conceded, despite concern from environmentalists, that increased offshore exploration should be part of a comprehensive energy policy. But the offshore drilling companies weren’t pushing for increased exploration as much as the major oil companies, which have struggled to find big new oil fields on land.

“…as we move forward with the development of our oil and gas resources, both onshore and offshore, it has to be a part of a set of a comprehensive energy program.” – Whitehouse.gov

Pretty pertinent considering activists want offshore drilling banned, and just petitioned the government to do so.

From the Shem Creek blog.

A NOAA Chief that’s fine with offshore drilling?

In their testimonies, they called on Congress to quickly reinstate the moratorium on offshore drilling, which was allowed to lapse in 2008 under Bush.

Philippe Cousteau urged Congress to reinstate the offshore drilling bans that until last fall had been in effect for 25 years in Atlantic and Pacific coastal waters.

“Oil and water simply don’t mix,” said Danson. “While not intentional, oil spills do happen and they harm everything from the smallest ocean organisms to the largest predators in the sea.”

“It’s absolutely critical for the health of the oceans. Oil spills still occur.” – Ocean Conservancy board member
Philippe Cousteau

Danson appealed to the Committee, led by Chairman Nick J. Rahall (D-WV), that the threats facing the Arctic Ocean will demand a separate and distinct planning process and that we should stop offshore oil and gas activities in the region until there is a comprehensive science-based conservation and energy plan.

Offshore oil drilling will have little if any impact on gas prices. Figures from the U.S. Energy Information Agency show that even at peak production, increased drilling offshore would produce less than one percent of the current energy demand in the U.S. “This is merely pennies at the gas pump,” said Danson.

He also stressed the importance of a speedy transition from fossil fuels to renewable, clean and carbon-free energy, such as offshore wind and solar power. According to recent estimates, the offshore wind industry could generate nearly $950 billion in economic activity and more than 250,000 jobs over the next 20 years.

“We need to work with the oceans, not against them,” said Dr. Michael Hirshfield, senior vice president for North America and chief scientist at Oceana. “The oceans can be a valuable resource in facing the global warming and energy crisis’.”

From the Shem Creek blog.

Cousteau, Danson, Activists want offshore drilling ban

This Thursday will be the first official opportunity to voice your opinion about drilling for oil and gas off the coast of South Carolina. The Natural Gas Exploration Feasibility Study Committee that was convened last year by the state legislature will be hosting a public hearing this week.

• When: Thursday, February 12th from 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
• Where: Trident Tech Nursing Auditorium, 920 Building, 9000 Rivers Ave., N. Chas.

The offshore drilling industry poses significant threats to the health of our coastal ecosystems, the prosperity of our tourism based economy, and development of the alternative energy potential in our state. The potential benefits that would accompany drilling in the waters along South Carolina pale in comparison to the potential drawbacks.

Most Americans have heard the industry claims of lower gas prices, environmentally safe industry technologies, freedom from foreign oil dependencies, and the local economic boon that would accompany offshore drilling along the east coast. In reality, the facts paint a very different picture.

Offshore Drilling Talking Points

1. According to the US Department of Energy, drilling off the coast of South Carolina will not significantly lower oil or gas prices for consumers.
2. According to the US Department of Energy, drilling off the coast of South Carolina will not significantly reduce our dependency on foreign oil.
3. The multi-year permitting process to allow for offshore drilling in SC would distract our state leaders and agencies from working to expand our local renewable, sustainable energy alternatives.
4. The environmental degradation associated with the offshore drilling industry threatens to undermine our $15 billion per year tourism industry while despoiling the ecological integrity of our coast.
5. Onshore infrastructure like refineries, pipelines, and storage facilities would negatively impact air and water quality and the aesthetics of our coastal communities.
6. There are no studies that suggest this industry would bring further economic prosperity to this state, and our own SC Department of Commerce has concluded that any economic impact on jobs and capital investment would be insignificant.
7. The SC Energy Office has pointed out the enormous potential for this state to develop local, renewable forms of energy and this is where we should focus our attention.

Learn more about the recent environmental record of the offshore drilling industry, estimates of offshore oil and gas reserves, effects on consumer costs, and other impacts on our state economy from the Coastal Conservation League (CCL) – which is where I read all this information.

From the Shem Creek blog.

South Carolina, lets talk offshore drilling