The Most Unique Coastline in the World
As the N&O reported Sunday, our beautiful barrier islands are in danger.
I have not yet absorbed enough information to be able to formulate a definite, unflappable position on the hotbed debate over offshore drilling. I consider myself an environmentalist, but my head is not in the clouds. I understand that we must take dramatic steps to free ourselves from the bear trap of dependence on foreign oil; I am pragmatic enough to understand and agree that this will not happen overnight, and that, at least in the interim, we must find a way to safely pull some of our eggs out of that basket. Now - having hopefully established my willingness to be a rational person, based in reality - I choose my next words very carefully:
WE MUST NOT OPEN NORTH CAROLINA'S COAST TO OFFSHORE DRILLING.
North Carolina's Outer Banks offer the world over 100 miles of truly unique barrier island coastline, visited by over 5 million people every year. These islands are the crown jewel of our state. Mostly untamed and uninhabited, these barrier islands are in constant flux, molding and remolding themselves while protecting thousands of square miles of sensitive marsh and wetlands against the onslaught of a turbulent south Atlantic Ocean. These islands are home and habitat to dozens of rare and endangered species of animal and plant.
Some of our state elected officials are clamoring to voice their support for and get in line behind those who would fling open the gates to a new, unchecked land rush for exploration of our continental shelf. I am confident that for some of these folks, the impetus for taking these positions runs no deeper than to provide a means to distance themselves from any public blowback from our current energy woes. Essentially, to say to their constituents, "See, it's not my fault." This is shameful. Sens. Richard Burr and Libby Dole, I'm pointing my finger at you.
Take a look at this aerial photo. Now, tell me where exactly among these shifting sands you would like to see pipelines run. Tell me where you would like to see refineries built, for oil that may or may not be there, but which certainly would not be pumped for at least the next 8-10 years. Tell me which of these islands you are willing to sacrifice.
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I agree. The economic benefit of offshore drilling does not warrant the risks to our beaches and our coastline economy. And honestly, the answer is not in more drilling and more oil. The answer is in carbon neutral fuel sources. Shame on those short sighted politicians that promote politically expedient answers and special interests before the interests of the people, our environment, and our economy.
This is just painful. Having recently watched "Who killed the electric car?" it is difficult to stomach the pablum politicians feed us about drilling to get off the dependence of foreign oil. The deplorable and ignorant thinking that is willing to sacrifice nature for the convenience of mankind is obviously destroying our space ship: Earth, and I don't recall us having another. To call this drilling proposition anything other than insane is just being polite.
Take the time frame it would take to build an oil infrastructure - on shifting sands no less - and the fact that oil is a finite resource. Then compare it with the loss of tourism dollars and wildlife habitat, not to mention some of the last pristine seashore on the east coast, and it's an easy to see the possibility of adding a drop in the bucket to an antiquated energy source does not outweigh destroying a major economic engine for North Carolina.
NIMBY implies that there is localized emotional opposition to an otherwise beneficial situation. I see no benefit here. There's a reasonable possibility of actually finding oil off the Gulf coast. Off the Pacific northwest coast, even (though I'm sure the NIMBY effect is far stronger out there, given the demographics). But I just have not yet seen any evidence supporting more than a shot-in-the-dark chance of even finding any oil along our coast. That said, I would be lying if I did not declare my emotional, irrational, frenzied zealotry for protecting my beloved OBX. I'm trying to keep a clear and open mind. Boy, the wind sure does blow on the coast. Every coast. 24 hours a day...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NIMBY
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