WASHINGTON--Reflective of the growing threat to drill in the Great Lakes,
The Washington Post ran a major story last week outlining the potential
scenarios where drilling in the world's largest supply of fresh water could
become a reality.
Senator Debbie Stabenow immediately announced that she would be introducing
legislation in the U.S. Senate in the near future with a goal of continuing
the current moratorium on new drilling in the Great Lakes, in addition to
offering a comprehensive approach to protecting the Great Lakes from other
threats.
"Today's Washington Post article makes it clear that the battleground over
drilling in the Great Lakes is now being pressed in Washington as well,"
said Stabenow.
"Governor Engler appears to be on the verge of allowing environmentally
destructive oil and gas drilling in the Great Lakes, and likely cannot be
stopped in the state legislature or in the courts. To make matters worse,
President Bush, Vice President Cheney and Secretary Abraham have ignored
our efforts to stop drilling on Michigan's shores and will soon be
promoting an energy package that will likely call for drilling in the
Arctic National Wildlife Reserve (ANWR), on the Florida coast and other
environmentally sensitive areas," Stabenow stated.
"As a result of these compelling new threats facing us on the state and
national landscape, I will be introducing legislation in the U.S. Senate in
the near future to stop the proposed drilling in the Great Lakes. And
since this issue is of such urgency, I will try to attach it to any
appropriate legislative vehicle as soon as possible. "
"Drilling in the Great Lakes is a shortsighted approach and has the
potential for catastrophic environmental damage. It is not worth putting
1/5 of the world's fresh water supply at risk for a few weeks supply of oil
and gas."
"Anyone who thinks drilling in the Great Lakes is going to be a slam dunk,
needs to think again," Stabenow concluded.
Supporters of the move claim the wells would use directional, or "slant,"
drilling technology designed to minimize the risk of oil spills. Rigs would
be placed on land about 1,500 feet from the shoreline and drills would bore
at an angle beneath the lake bottom to reach underground deposits of oil
and gas.
Michigan officials say there is little or no risk of an oil or gas leak
from the lake bottom with a directionally drilled well, and only a small
risk of contamination at the well head. They say the additional energy
supply at a time of need and the revenue generated is worth the minimal
risk of environmental damage.
"We still have a tremendous need for energy and we have to tap available
resources," said Ken Silfven, spokesman for the Michigan Department of
Environmental Quality, which regulates the state's oil and gas industries.
Citing environmental concerns, Engler halted new oil leasing in 1997. He
asked for a study by a board of science advisers, who concluded that
directional drilling carries no risk of contamination directly above the
bottom hole but a "small risk" of contamination at the well head.
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