Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, June 27, 1990 TAG: 9006270029
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A10 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium
In addition, he permanently blocked any drilling in a proposed marine sanctuary in California's Monterey Bay, and ordered a moratorium on new leases until 1996 for one section off southern California where drilling already is under way.
"My desire is to achieve a balance between the need to provide energy for the American people and the need to protect unique and sensitive coastal and marine environments," Bush said in a written statement.
The president called for more environmental studies to settle the question of whether leases might be offered after 2000.
The election-year ban was likely to come as a relief to Republican candidates in both California and Florida, who were concerned about possible negative voter reaction to new drilling.
But the announcement fell somewhat short of what environmentalists were hoping for, a permanent ban on offshore drilling they contend is the only way to protect sensitive environmental regions and beaches.
Based in large part on the recommendations of an inter-agency task force he appointed to study the California and Florida coastal drilling prospects, Bush announced he is suspending until at least 2000 any new leases to oil companies in federal waters off:
Northern California, 1.1 million acres off Mendocino and Humboldt counties.
Southern California, 6.7 million acres south of the Santa Barbara Channel to the Mexican border. Not included is the Santa Barbara Channel and the Santa Maria basin, where drilling is under way. Bush said he would delay new leases until at least 1996, pending further study, in those areas.
Central California, from San Francisco south to Monterey Bay, originally scheduled for a lease auction next March. Bush further permanently barred oil exploration in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.
Southern Florida, 14 million acres off Collier, Monroe and Dade counties in the Gulf of Mexico.
New England, 12.8 million acres of Georges Bank off Cape Cod, an important fishing ground vigorously defended by Massachusetts officials.
Washington and Oregon, where state and federal agencies recently agreed that further environmental studies are needed.
The White House said that the moratorium could be suspended in the event of "external events, such as supply disruptions," prompting environmental groups to complain that a loophole had been built in.
by CNB