Federal government can’t solve alone

EXT - California economy impact

offshore drilling crushes california’s economy

Nava and Pope ’09 (Pedro Nava, a former California assemblyman representing Santa Barbara County, and Carl Pope, the former executive director and chairman of the Sierra Club, 4-17-09, “Op-ed by Assemblymember Pedro Nava & Carl Pope on Protecting California's Coast,” http://amchron.soundenterprises.net/articles/view/98766)

Any evaluation of offshore drilling must consider California's past, and our future.¶ Forty years ago, more than 3.2 million gallons of crude oil defaced our shores near Santa Barbara. The largest oil spill in American history at the time, it was surpassed twenty years later when the Exxon Valdez ran aground in Prince William Sound. In the aftermath of these spills, scores of oil-soaked birds, seals and marine mammals washed ashore. Thousands of gallons of oil still remain in Prince William Sound.¶ As a result of these disasters, we learned that crude oil and ocean waters must never again mix.¶ In 1981 Congress placed a moratorium on drilling on the outer continental shelf and in 1990, following the Exxon Valdez, President Bush strengthened the moratorium with an executive order. However, last year, the oil industry and its friends in Congress took advantage of high gas prices to call for more drilling. In the dying days of his Administration, George W. Bush proposed millions of acres for new drilling off the Pacific Coast.¶ In an effort to bring the public back into decision-making, the Obama administration is holding hearings around the country to solicit feedback on the Bush administration's drilling plan. The decisions we make today will determine the future of our shoreline and coastal marine habitats for years to come.¶ California´s green energy policies have led the nation and the world. We shouldn't take a step back by expanding offshore oil drilling and reliance on fossil fuels. Our energy future lies in solar, wind, renewable energy, efficiency, and conservation. Feeding our oil addiction will only undermine efforts to stimulate the growth of green jobs, to reduce global warming emissions, and expand the use of renewable energy.¶ Any energy plans the administration makes must consider the future of California´s coast and economy. California's ocean waters are home to four important national marine sanctuaries -- areas of special ecological, scientific and aesthetic importance that are particularly sensitive to the impacts of oil development. Protecting our spectacular coastline is critical to a number of our state's coastal and ocean-dependent industries.¶ In 2006, the coastal tourism industry contributed $93.8 billion and 928,700 jobs in California. Commercial fishing generated almost $130 million, and recreational fishing brought over $2 billion and 19,903 jobs. An oil spill could have economic repercussions that far outweigh any imagined economic benefits of coastal oil drilling.

2NC Impact - Marine BioD

Spills crush marine biodiversity

David Pettit and David Newman 2012 (David Pettit, a 1975 graduate of UCLA Law School, is a Senior Attorney for¶ the Natural Resources Defense Council. He is an environmental law litigator¶ who has been involved in the aftermath of the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon¶ oil spill. David would like to thank Rebecca Wolitz, Yale University Law¶ School, J.D. expected 2012, for her contributions to this piece.¶ f David Newman is an Oceans Program Attorney for the Natural Resources¶ Defense Council, and has been involved in BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill¶ Litigation, “Federal Public Law and the Future of¶ Oil and Gas Drilling on the Outer¶ Continental Shelf” HeinOnline ROGER WILLIAMS UNIVERSITYLAWREVIEW [Vol. 17:184)

BOEMRE also noted that "[a] catastrophic spill has the¶ potential to cause significant impacts to marine and coastal¶ biological habitats and resources in the Gulf of Mexico, as well as¶ direct impacts to individual organisms."¶ 86 ¶ It described how the¶ Deepwater Horizon spill had both identified a number of risks¶ from offshore drilling and called into question some of BOEMRE's¶ prior assumptions about the potential risks:¶ [T1he Deepwater Horizon spill has demonstrated that a¶ high-volume, extended-duration spill resulting from a¶ blowout has the potential to result in impacts that could¶ affect the long-term population status of biological¶ resources over extended areas ....¶ ... Marine mammals have been observed swimming in oil¶ after spills. Therefore, it cannot be assumed they would¶ avoid the impacted area. The oil could harm marine¶ mammals through several ways, including, but not¶ limited to, the breathing of fumes from the oil (and¶ possibly dispersants), persistence on their skin, and the¶ consumption of oiled food sources....¶ Sea Turtles: The majority of sea turtles impacted by the¶ Deepwater Horizon event have been Kemp's ridleys,¶ listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Shoreline oiling and efforts may affect future¶ population levels and reproduction....¶ Coastal Habitats: During the spill, over 500 miles of¶ shoreline were impacted, varying from light to moderate¶ to heaving oiling. The majority of the Gulf coast is sensitive shoreline types (i.e., sheltered tidal flats;¶ vegetated low banks; salt/brackish-water marshes;¶ freshwater marshes/swamps; scrub-shrub wetlands) that¶ tend to accumulate oil and are difficult to clean, causing¶ oil to persist in coastal and estuarine areas. Loss of¶ vegetation could lead to erosion and permanent land loss.¶ Coastal and Marine Birds: The Gulf coastal habitats are¶ essential to the annual cycles of many species of breeding,¶ wintering and migrating waterfowl, wading birds,¶ shorebirds, and songbirds. The spill and response¶ activities could interfere with migration. The worst¶ impacts to oiled birds, or those which have ingested oil¶ with their prey, would be if the oil spill occurs during the¶ nesting season. An oil spill could result in the loss of¶ entire colonies of breeding birds on barrier islands¶ surrounded by oil, along with the loss of all eggs and¶ nestlings.¶ Fisheries: A catastrophic spill has the potential to cause¶ the loss of a year class (fish in a stock born in the same¶ year), affecting future stock populations.... ... With the oiling over 500 miles of shoreline, it is¶ foreseeable that an entire critical habitat for a species¶ with a relatively small critical habitat could have been¶ completely oiled. For example, the endangered Alabama¶ beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus ammobates) only¶ has 1,211 acres of frontal dunes covering just ten miles of¶ shoreline designated as critical habitat.¶ 87

2NC Link – Spills Inevitable

oil spills inevitable with the plan-ruins beach economies

Greenpeace, 8-4-08, “Offshore Drilling – It’s NOT the Answer to High Gas Prices at the Pump,” http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/en/news-and-blogs/news/offshore-drilling-it-s-not-t/

Oil Spills-Deadly Consequences¶ In 1981, responding to public sentiment, Congress adopted the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Moratorium, which prevents the leasing of coastal waters off the Atlantic and pacific coasts and Alaska's Bristol Bay for oil and gas drilling.¶ If the moratorium is lifted, our oceans and the species that call them home will suffer. An increase in offshore drilling will put more of this country's beaches, fish, and marine mammals at risk, as both the exploration and the drilling for oil increase the threat to our valuable coastlines. Tourism along our beaches and coastal communities is vital to our economy.¶ Seismic testing to locate oil creates decibel levels of 260 - twice as loud as an ambulance. Exposure to these levels of noise can cause disorientation, beaching, and brain hemorrhaging in whales and dolphins. Drilling for oil results in routine releases of toxic drilling muds, excavation materials, production waters, and contaminants such as mercury lead, cadmium and radioactive substances such as radium. Offshore oil drilling also comes with tanker, boat and barge traffic and other industrial activity and noise that disturb wildlife. And all offshore oil drilling requires an onshore network of pipelines, roads, refineries, docks and other infrastructure that release pollutants into the air and water, as well as destroy coastal habitat.¶ Plus, offshore drilling creates an increased risk of oil spills close to our beaches and coastlines. One of the biggest myths told by political candidates (the oil industry and their allies in Congress) is that hurricanes Katrina and Rita caused no significant oil spills in the Gulf of Mexico. Nothing could be further from the truth. Katrina and Rita trashed drilling platforms, ruptured pipelines and yanked 2-million-gallon storage tanks off their foundations. More than 9 million gallons of oil spilled as a result of those two storms. Compare that amount with the 11 million gallons of oil spilled by the infamous Exxon Valdez when it ran aground in Prince William Sound Alaska in 1989. The Minerals Management Service (MMS), the federal agency that regulates offshore drilling, reported that hurricanes Katrina and Rita destroyed 113 oil platforms and damaged 457 pipelines.¶ Supercharged storms like Katrina and Rita will continue to pummel coastal areas and oil infrastructure as global warming continues, meaning more oil spills are inevitable.

spills inevitable-hurricanes that tech can’t solve

Cappiello ’05 (Dina Cappiello, the national environmental reporter for The Associated Press in Washington, where her beat encompasses the Environmental Protection Agency, offshore oil and gas drilling, nuclear energy, coal and global warming policy and won first-place for investigative reporting from the Society of Environmental Journalists, 11-13-05, “Spills from hurricanes stain coast With gallery,” http://www.chron.com/news/hurricanes/article/Spills-from-hurricanes-stain-coast-With-gallery-1915858.php)

Hurricane Katrina's floodwaters unleashed 1 million gallons of oil from one of the massive storage tanks at Murphy Oil's nearby refinery. The spill spread over 1 square mile and stained 1,700 homes, making it one of the largest environmental spills to occur in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.¶ But it was far from the only one.¶ A Houston Chronicle review of data from the National Response Center shows that the two storms caused at least 595 spills, incidents that released untold amounts of oil, natural gas and other chemicals into the air, onto land and into the water.¶ The quantity and cumulative magnitude of the 595 spills, which were spread across four states and struck offshore and inland, rank these two hurricanes among the worst environmental disasters in U.S. history. Some have even compared the total amount of oil released — estimated at 9 million gallons — to the tragedy of Exxon Valdez.¶ Now, Estrade and many others who live in this fence-line neighborhood are wondering: Even if they do clean up, will the community ever again be environmentally safe? In Chalmette, the spill left dark-brown stains on every car, front door and mailbox. Its drips are motionless on storm gutters. It was even absorbed into Estrade's wife's ceramic pots.¶ "The oil penetrated everything. It was a compound tragedy," said Estrade, who has lived here since 1975.¶ The potential exposure to various chemicals as residents return and workers clean up has prompted federal authorities to develop health-based standards specifically for the hurricanes' aftermath, something they haven't done since the World Trade Center collapsed, sending asbestos and other contaminants into the air in Lower Manhattan on Sept. 11, 2001.¶ "This is about the tenth disaster I have responded to, and this is the worst I have ever seen," said Wally Cooper, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's on-scene coordinator, in charge of overseeing the Murphy Oil spill cleanup. "This is worse than the worst-case scenario."¶ Representatives of the oil industry say there was no way they could have foreseen or prepared for the environmental mess.¶ "We don't like to spill oil. Oil that spills is of no value," said Larry Wall, a spokesman for the Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association.¶ "You can build your structures to withstand strong winds, rain and storm surges, but nature can always topple you," Wall said.

spills are inevitable with offshore drilling

Sierra Club ’09 (Sierra Club, America's largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, 8-09, “Don’t Rig Our Coastal Economy,” www.sierraclub.org/habitat/downloads/2009-08-coasts.pdf)

Pollution and oil spills¶ Big Oil's track record with offshore drilling is ugly. Offshore operators have had 40 large¶ scale spills (greater than 42,000 gallons) since 1964. Thirteen of those have been in the¶ past 10 years alone. And those are just the biggest spills¶ 3¶ ; smaller spills are still an¶ everyday occurrence, and continue to impact our coastlines. ¶ Offshore operations are especially vulnerable during hurricanes, a very real threat where¶ the majority of oil drilling occurs. Of the 13 major spills in the past 10 years, 7 have¶ been hurricane-related. In August, 2005, during Hurricane Katrina, more than 9 million¶ gallons of oil spilled from pipelines, storage tanks and industrial plants.¶ 4¶ Oil is extremely toxic to marine life such as birds, fish, seals, and whales. Once they¶ happen, oil spills cannot be reversed and current cleanup methods are incapable of¶ removing more than a small fraction of the oil spilled in ocean waters. Additionally,¶ there is strong evidence that oil actually becomes more toxic over time as it slowly¶ degrades in the environment. Often, the last compounds to degrade are those that are¶ known human carcinogens.¶ 5¶ According to the National Academy of Sciences, a single well produces between 1500¶ and 2000 tons of waste material. Debris includes drill cuttings, which is rock ground into¶ pieces by bit, and drilling mud brought up during the drilling process. This mud contains¶ toxic metals such as lead, cadmium, and mercury. Other pollutants, such as benzene,¶ arsenic, zinc and other known carcinogens and radioactive materials are routinely¶ released in “produced water,” which emerges when¶ water is brought up from a well along with the oil or¶ gas.¶ 6

spills inevitable-hurricanes disrupt onshore infrastructure

Cappiello ’05 (Dina Cappiello, the national environmental reporter for The Associated Press in Washington, where her beat encompasses the Environmental Protection Agency, offshore oil and gas drilling, nuclear energy, coal and global warming policy and won first-place for investigative reporting from the Society of Environmental Journalists, 11-13-05, “Spills from hurricanes stain coast With gallery,” http://www.chron.com/news/hurricanes/article/Spills-from-hurricanes-stain-coast-With-gallery-1915858.php)

Yet previous storms and past warnings by hurricane experts indicate that the storage tanks were vulnerable.¶ In 1961, Hurricane Carla moved a tank in Hackberry, La., more than six miles. And a five-year study released by Louisiana State University's Center for the Study of the Public Health Impacts of Hurricanes in 2003 concluded that storage tanks, many of which rely on the weight of their contents and gravity to hold them down, could be major sources of spills.¶ "A high proportion of them are not properly tied down," Ivor van Heerden, the center's director, said in a November 2003 report in the New Orleans Times-Picayune. "Imagine a storage tank full of diesel lifted by floodwaters, shearing its hoses, and its pipes working loose, and leaking."¶ Environmentalists say faulty equipment, not the hurricanes, was to blame for many of the spills. For the activist community, the storms' environmental impact has refocused efforts from day-to-day pollution and on to bigger issues such as whether energy infrastructure should be located along a hurricane-prone coast, said Denny Larson, coordinator for the Refinery Reform Campaign.¶ "People have said for years that they shouldn't have facilities in low-lying coastal areas where contamination risks are great," Larson said. "It's ... the poorest possible choice."

spills caused by hurricanes ensure destruction of coastal habitats

Cappiello ’05 (Dina Cappiello, the national environmental reporter for The Associated Press in Washington, where her beat encompasses the Environmental Protection Agency, offshore oil and gas drilling, nuclear energy, coal and global warming policy and won first-place for investigative reporting from the Society of Environmental Journalists, 11-13-05, “Spills from hurricanes stain coast With gallery,” http://www.chron.com/news/hurricanes/article/Spills-from-hurricanes-stain-coast-With-gallery-1915858.php)

For some state scientists, the loss of the coast was the biggest environmental impact of all.¶ "Valdez didn't reach the coastline. Katrina destroyed the coastline. That habitat is gone," said Bradshaw, of the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality.¶ The U.S. Coast Guard says all free oil has been collected in Louisiana. In Chalmette, workers hired by Murphy Oil recently sopped up the last of the 25,000 barrels that spilled there; however, no houses have been cleansed of the oil.

Link – T/F Quick

The link is quick – triggered by exploratory drilling

David Pettit and David Newman 2012 (David Pettit, a 1975 graduate of UCLA Law School, is a Senior Attorney for¶ the Natural Resources Defense Council. He is an environmental law litigator¶ who has been involved in the aftermath of the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon¶ oil spill. David would like to thank Rebecca Wolitz, Yale University Law¶ School, J.D. expected 2012, for her contributions to this piece.¶ f David Newman is an Oceans Program Attorney for the Natural Resources¶ Defense Council, and has been involved in BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill¶ Litigation, “Federal Public Law and the Future of¶ Oil and Gas Drilling on the Outer¶ Continental Shelf” HeinOnline ROGER WILLIAMS UNIVERSITYLAWREVIEW [Vol. 17:184)

In addition, BOEMRE acknowledged that exploratory drilling,¶ regardless of the depth, poses a greater risk of a catastrophic oil¶ spill than does development drilling since it involves "drill[ing]¶ into formations for which there is limited knowledge of the¶ wellbore parameters."

AT: Regulations Solve Spills

regulation doesn’t solve risk of spills

Weiss ’11 (Daniel J. Weiss, a Senior Fellow and Director of Climate Strategy at the Center for American Progress, 1-11-11, “Big Oil Sings the Same Old Song,” http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/green/news/2011/01/11/8924/big-oil-sings-the-same-old-song/)

The EIA data indicate that there is no need to launch panic drilling while ignoring the commission’s recommendations to improve safety procedures after the BP oil disaster. It is critical to note that Commission Co-Chair William K. Reilly believes that:¶ Given the documented failings of both Transocean and Halliburton, both of which serve the off shore industry in virtually every ocean, I reluctantly conclude we have a system-wide problem.¶ The commission’s investigation noted that actions by BP, Halliburton, and Transocean that increased the risk of the disaster saved these companies money, and reforms are essential to minimize the likelihood of future disasters.¶ Whether purposeful or not, many of the decisions that BP, Halliburton, and Transocean made that increased the risk of the Macondo blowout clearly saved those companies significant time (and money).¶ The blowout was not the product of a series of aberrational decisions made by rogue industry or government officials that could not have been anticipated or expected to occur again. Rather, the root causes are systemic and, absent significant reform in both industry practices and government policies, might well recur.¶ Domestic production will increase relative to demand, and U.S. imports from OPEC will decline. There also will be two rounds of improvements in fuel economy standards for model years 2012–2016 and 2017–2022. It makes little sense to begin expanded deepwater drilling that relies only on oil industry changes rather than waiting to implement the commission’s recommendations. Yet Gerard believes that the oil industry’s improvements determined before the cause of the BP disaster was known are adequate.¶ We immediately brought together industry experts from around the world and created task forces to identify ways we could enhance the focus on safety, even before we knew the cause of this disaster.¶ But we also cannot keep the industry on indefinite ‘hold’ while the regulatory process is improved.¶ The commission found that the BP oil disaster was due to “systemic” problems. Associated Press reports that the commission will find that API is wrong—that voluntary reforms are inadequate to protect the coastal economy and environment.¶ Despite reforms put in place since the massive BP oil spill, a presidential investigating panel has concluded that the government and the oil industry still haven’t done enough to avert another catastrophic accident offshore.¶ Instead of API’s rush to drill, the commission’s recommendations—to be released today—should be fully implemented and thoroughly enforced on existing rigs before new expansion begins. Politico reports that these recommendations could include lifting the oil spill liability limit, providing more resources for enforcement of safety measures, establishing an independent entity to set safety standards, and other new protections. Without such rules, we risk another multibillion-dollar Gulf Coast disaster that would further harm the local economy, push some coastal residents into poverty, and cause long-lasting economic and environmental damage.

2NC Internals – Beaches Key to the Economy

beaches key to travel and tourism and the economy

Houston ’08 (James R. Houston, the Director of the Army Corp of Engineers’ Engineer Research and Development Center’s Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory, Summer 2008, “The economic value of beaches – A 2008 update,” Shore & Beach 76.3)

BEACHES: KEY TO U.S.¶ TRAVEL AND TOURISM¶ Beaches are the key element of U.S.¶ travel and tourism, since they are the lead-ing tourist destination (USA Today1993;¶ Carlson Wagonlit Travel Agent Poll 1998;¶ Washingtonpost.com:Poll 2001; Chivas¶ Poll 2001, TripAdvisor 2007, BusinessWire¶ 2007). Coastal states receive about 85%¶ of tourist-related revenues in the U.S.¶ largely because beaches are tremendously popular (World Almanac 2007).¶ Although there are many interior attrac-tions from Yellowstone to the Grand Can-yon and from Las Vegas to Branson, Mis-souri; the popularity of beaches dominates¶ tourism. For example, a single beach location (Miami Beach) reported more tourist¶ visits (21 million) than were made to any¶ National Park Service property (Wiegel¶ 1992; National Park Service 2007a). Miami¶ Beach has more than twice as many tour-ist visits as the combined number of tour-ist visits to Yellowstone (2.9 million), the¶ Grand Canyon (4.3 million), and Yosemite¶ (3.2 million) (National Park Service 2007a).¶ California beaches alone have more tourist visits (567 million) than combined tourist visits (272 million) to all 388 National¶ Park Service properties - including national seashores and monuments and¶ buildings such as the Lincoln Memorial,¶ Washington Monument, and White¶ House (King 1999; National Park Service¶ 2007a). It is estimated that each year ap-proximately 180 million Americans make 2¶ billion visits to ocean, gulf, and inland¶ beaches (Clean Beaches Council 2007).¶ This is almost twice as many visits as the¶ combined 1.06 billion visits made to prop-erties of the National Park Service (272¶ million), Bureau of Land Management (55¶ million), and all state parks and recreation¶ areas (735 million) (National Association¶ of State Park Directors 2007, Bureau of¶ Land Management 2007).Moreover, many¶ of these visits to state parks and recre-ation areas were visits to beaches. For¶ example, state beaches in California ac-count for only 2.7% of California state park¶ holdings, but account for 72% of visits¶ (King 1999). The 2 billion beach visits also¶ dwarf the 138 million visitors to all theme¶ parks in the U.S. including properties of¶ Disney, Six Flags, Universal, SeaWorld,¶ Busch Gardens, Paramount, Knotts Berry¶ Farms, Hershey Park, Dollywood, and¶ other theme Parks (Theme Park Insider¶ 2005).¶ Beaches make a large contribution¶ to America’s economy. Beach tourism¶ in Florida made a $52 billion contribution to the economy in 2007 dollars (Murley et. al2003, U.S. Department of¶ Labor 2007). Similarly, King (1999) shows¶ that California beach tourism makes a¶ total direct and indirect contribution of¶ $73 billion to the national economy. Mul-tiplying the ratio of visitors to national¶ beaches (2 billion) and visitors to Cali-fornia beaches (567 million) by the con-tribution of California beach visitors to¶ the national economy ($73 billion) in 1999¶ and adjusting for inflation yields an esti-mate that U.S. beaches currently contribute $322 billion annually to the economy¶ in 2007 dollars (Clean Beaches Council¶ 2007, King 1999, and U.S. Department of¶ Labor 2007). This is more than twenty¶ five times the $12 billion contribution of¶ the National Park Service system to the¶ national economy (National Park Service¶ 2006). As was noted to be the case for¶ foreign tourists, most taxes paid by beach¶ tourists also flow primarily to the federal¶ government. For example, a study of tour-ism at Huntington Beach, California,¶ showed that the federal government is¶ the main beneficiary of beach tourism¶ with tourism at Huntington Beach generating $135 million in federal revenues,¶ $25 million in state sales tax revenues,¶ and $4.8 million in local revenue sales tax¶ and parking fees (King 1999).

travel and tourism key to the econ

-largest industry

-largest employer

-jobs can’t be outsourced unlike high-tech jobs

-other service sector jobs are being offshored at a very high rate

-provides a lot of government revenue

Houston ’08 (James R. Houston, the Director of the Army Corp of Engineers’ Engineer Research and Development Center’s Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory, Summer 2008, “The economic value of beaches – A 2008 update,” Shore & Beach 76.3, google it)

TRAVEL AND TOURISM¶ IS LARGEST INDUSTRY¶ AND EMPLOYER¶ Travel and tourism is the world’s larg-est industry with the broad measure of¶ economic activity, Travel and Tourism¶ Economy (TTE), contributing $5.4 tril-lion in 2007 to the world’s Gross Domes-tic Product (GDP) (World Travel and¶ Tourism Council 2007a) and exceeding¶ the GDP of all countries other than the¶ United States (International Monetary¶ Fund 2007).Similarly, TTE contributes¶ $1.4 trillion to America’s GDP (World¶ Travel and Tourism Council 2007a).This¶ is 10.2% of U.S. output (World Travel¶ and Tourism Council 2007b) and makes¶ TTE the largest contributor to GDP just¶ ahead of durable goods manufacturing¶ and retail trade that contribute 8.7% and¶ 7.4% respectively to GDP (U.S. Census¶ Bureau 2007a). TTE also produces $104.9¶ billion in annual tax revenue for all levels¶ of government in the United States¶ (Travel Industry Association 2007).¶ Travel and tourism is both the world’s¶ and America’s largest employer with¶ TTE employing 231 million people¶ throughout the world and 15 million¶ people, or more than one out of every¶ 9.7 people, in the United States (World¶ Travel and Tourism Council 2007b). In¶ contrast, all U.S. manufacturing industries from IBM to General Motors to Intel¶ employ only 14.2 million people, having steadily lost 3.1 million jobs since¶ 2000 (U.S. Department of Labor 2006).¶ Although many states have policies to¶ attract manufacturing industries, espe-cially high-technology industries, few¶ have policies to attract travel and tour-ism businesses. However, there are only¶ about one-third as many high-technology¶ jobs as travel and tourism jobs in the U.S.¶ and offshoring is increasingly taking¶ place in high-technology industries (As-sociated Press 2007b). For example, the¶ pharmaceutical industry is increasingly¶ shifting its research and development to¶ China and India (PRNewswire 2005). Dan¶ Scheinman, senior vice-president for cor-porate development at Cisco System Inc,¶ said, “”We came to India for the costs,¶ we stayed for the quality, and we’re now¶ investing for the innovation”(Business¶ Week 2005). Microsoft’s R&D lab in¶ Beijing is cited as one of the world’s most¶ productive sources of innovation in computer graphics and language simulation¶ (Business Week 2005).¶ Not only are manufacturing jobs in a¶ long-term decline, but many service-sector jobs face “offshoring.” Princeton¶ economist Alan Blinder, who was vice¶ chairman of the Federal Reserve during¶ the Clinton administration, says the number of jobs at risk of being shipped out¶ of the country could reach 40 million¶ over the next 10-20 years (Associated¶ Press 2007a). This means that one out of¶ every three service-sector jobs could be¶ at risk.¶ Travel and tourism is a rare industry¶ where offshoring is difficult. There can¶ be intense competition among countries¶ for tourism, but if a tourist wants the tour-ist experience at Fisherman’s Wharf, San¶ Francisco, the tourist has to go to San¶ Francisco. Travel and tourism may be¶ ignored in the U.S. because of percep-tions that this industry has low-wage jobs.¶ However, U.S. per-capita wages for¶ travel and tourism jobs average 13%¶ higher than average U.S. per-capita¶ wages (Holecek 1995). Switzerland pro-vides a good example of high wages in¶ tourism, since it depends on tourism more¶ than any developed country yet has one¶ of the world’s highest per-capita in-comes.

oceans key to the economy-oil spills destroy it

Danson ’09 (TED DANSON, a longtime ocean activist and a member of the Board of Directors of Oceana, 2-11-09, “OFFSHORE DRILLING:¶ ENVIRONMENTAL AND¶ COMMERCIAL PERSPECTIVES¶ OVERSIGHT HEARING¶ before the¶ COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES¶ U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,” http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CHRG-111hhrg47302/html/CHRG-111hhrg47302.htm)

Oil and water don't mix. Our oceans give essential protein to ¶ nearly half the world's population. In the U.S., recreational and ¶ commercial fisheries combined supply over 2 million jobs. On top of ¶ that, coastal tourism provides 28.3 million jobs and annually generates ¶ $54 billion in goods and services. Ecosystems are disrupted top to ¶ bottom by the short and long term effects of oil. More oil spills mean ¶ less abundant oceans. More oil spills mean fewer wonderful, pristine ¶ beaches. More oil spills mean fewer jobs.¶ While not intentional, spills happen. These spills range from ¶ small, steady leaks to large accidents and they occur at every stage in ¶ oil production from the oil platform to the oil tanker to the pipeline ¶ and storage tanks. Approximately 120 millions gallons of oil are ¶ discharged into the world's oceans every year from oil platforms, ¶ marine transportation, vessel discharges and accidents. The impacts to ¶ fish and wildlife are numerous and well documented, often resulting in ¶ death.

offshore drilling kills the econ-tourism and fishing industries devastated and key

Mund et al. ’10 (Nat Mund, currently the Legislative Director at the Southern Environmental Law Center. Prior to joining the SELC, Nat was Deputy Legislative Director for the League of Conservation Voters. Nat received a BA from Michigan State University, Deborah Murray, a senior attorney with the Southern Environmental Law Center, and Marirose Pratt, an associate attorney with the Southern Environmental Law Center, 8-10-10, “Drilling for Oil in the Atlantic and Eastern Gulf: A Dead End Idea,” http://www.southernenvironment.org/cases/drilling_in_the_atlantic_huge_risk_little_reward/ocs_bacground_factsheet_june2010/)

Then the Deepwater Horizon oil rig-an example of the oil and gas industry's 21st-century technology-exploded in the Gulf. The environmental catastrophe has brought into stark focus the inherent dangers of offshore drilling to coastal communities and natural resources.¶ The small amounts of oil and gas estimated in the Mid- and South Atlantic and eastern Gulf are not worth the tremendous risk to the region's coastal communities, rich fisheries, clean beaches and other natural resources. There are cleaner, safer ways to power America.¶ Too Little, Too Late¶ The MMS estimates the Mid- and South Atlantic combined hold only three months supply of oil (1.91 billion barrels) and ten months supply of gas (18.99 trillion cubic feet) at current rates of consumption nationwide.*¶ Of that, the proposed Virginia lease sale holds just six days supply of oil (130 million barrels) and 18 days supply of gas (1,140 billion cubic feet). ¶ If production started in 2011- much sooner than is feasible under current circumstances-it would have no impact on domestic oil and gas prices until at least 2030, and even then any such impact would be "insignificant," according to the federal Energy Information Administration.1¶ Environmental Threats¶ The long-term, widespread environmental and economic destruction from major oil spills like the Deepwater disaster is indisputable. But blowouts and other catastrophes are just one way that drilling off the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf could harm marine life and coastal communities. ¶ According to the National Academy of Sciences, a single well produces between 1,500 and 2,000 tons of waste material, including ground rock and drilling "muds"-a dense liquid used to operate rigs which contains toxic pollutants, such as mercury, lead, chromium, barium, arsenic and cadmium. Dumped on the ocean floor, the debris damages marine habitat; the toxic muds can be carried by currents over a mile from the rig, contaminating small bottom-dwelling organisms that form the foundation of the marine food chain. ¶ A 2004 inventory shows that drilling rigs release tons of nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and volatile organic compounds each year. These compounds are the basic ingredients of smog, haze, and other air pollution.2 ¶ Threats on Land¶ Crude oil and raw natural gas both must be refined to convert them to fuel for our homes, cars and factories. Refineries pipelines and distribution facilities pollute our air and water daily.¶ Such infrastructure would, in all likelihood, have to be built on the coast in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and/or Georgia to process oil and gas collected off the Southern coast.¶ An average U.S. refinery-about the size of several hundred football fields-releases more than 11,000 gallons of oil or fumes into the water and air daily. These releases include hydrocarbons, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and soot, which cause major health and environmental problems.3¶ Wildlife Impacts¶ The Mid- and South Atlantic coast is a globally significant area for migration of birds, sea turtles, and marine mammals. The region also contains some of the most productive areas for commercial fisheries in the country-the Chesapeake Bay, Albemarle-Pamlico Sound, and the unique "Charleston bump" on the ocean floor off South Carolina. Onshore and offshore oil and gas development could have devastating impacts on mammals, fish and other wildlife.¶ The North Atlantic right whale, one of the most critically endangered species in the world, migrates along the Atlantic coast twice a year; its only breeding grounds lie off Georgia and northern Florida. Other marine mammals of special concern include the humpback whale, beaked whale, and the bottlenose dolphin.¶ The Mid- and South Atlantic shore provides breeding grounds and stopover points for a wide variety of federal- and state-listed sea turtles and shorebirds, which attract thousands of tourists throughout the year.¶ Noise, light, and underwater vibrations generated by seismic surveys, vessel traffic, pile driving, drilling, and construction would negatively impact marine species, many of which rely on sound to feed and navigate. Vessel strikes are another serious threat for whales, dolphins, and manatees.¶ Economic Impact¶ Seismic testing, oil spills, contamination from toxic drilling muds, impacts of onshore infrastructure, and other environmental damage from oil and gas development would impact both the commercial fishing and the tourism upon which the coastal communities of the Mid- and South Atlantic and eastern Gulf rely.¶ The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council has classified the coast from New York to North Carolina as "essential fish habitat" for several species, including summer flounder, scup, black sea bass, bluefish, Atlantic surfclam, Atlantic mackerel, Atlantic butterfish, golden tilefish, spiny dogfish, and tilefish.¶ In 2008, there was $262.8 million worth of commercial fish landings in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, according to NOAA,4 which could suffer losses due to impacts of oil and gas development:¶ Virginia: $149.5 million¶ North Carolina: $86.8 million¶ South Carolina: $17.5 million¶ Georgia: $9.0 million ¶ The blue crab population, a signature species for Virginia, is fast dwindling. Toxic pollution from oil and gas operations on the Outer Continental Shelf, where blue crab larvae develop, could devastate the species. ¶ According to the American Sportfishing Association5, saltwater sport fishing in 2006 accounted for thousands of jobs and millions of dollars to coastal economies: ¶ Virginia: 5,541 jobs and $945 million ¶ North Carolina: 9,735 jobs and $1.74 billion ¶ South Carolina: 11,896 jobs and $2.07 billion¶ Georgia: 2,010 jobs and $428 million ¶ Coastal communities which rely largely on tourism could suffer as a result of potential development of refineries, pipelines, roads or other onshore infrastructure, as well as declining fish and marine species, not to mention the dire economic impacts of a catastrophic spill.¶ Tourism provides 30,000 jobs on North Carolina's Outer Banks.6 In South Carolina's Myrtle Beach area, it provides 39,100 jobs.7¶ In 2007, the 18 Virginia cities and counties of the Chesapeake Bay and coast brought in approxi-mately $4.25 billion in tourism revenue, according to the Virginia Tourism Corporation. ¶ The potential loss of certain military operations, a driving force of Virginia's coastal economy, due to conflicts with drilling could cost the state some $1.9 billion yearly and 15,000 jobs-more if additional forces are moved.8

offshore drilling devastates fishing-key to the economy

Sierra Club ’09 (Sierra Club, America's largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, 8-09, “Don’t Rig Our Coastal Economy,” www.sierraclub.org/habitat/downloads/2009-08-coasts.pdf)

Aside from tourism, coastal economies are often heavily reliant upon commercial and¶ recreational fishing. This industry has provided a way of life in this country for¶ centuries. But offshore drilling threatens to destroy it. Take Florida, for example.¶ Florida’s expansive coastline provides diverse and rewarding saltwater fishing for¶ recreational anglers. The popularity of recreational fishing has grown steadily over the¶ past several decades. Money spent by anglers has boosted the local, state and national¶ economies. Visiting anglers sustain old jobs and create new ones. They support¶ manufacturers, suppliers, and service industries. The total economic output of the¶ recreational saltwater fishing industry is substantial and supports an extensive number of¶ full and part-time jobs. Aside from tourism, coastal economies are often heavily reliant¶ upon the fishing industry.¶ U.S. commercial and saltwater fishing generates approximately $185 billion in sales¶ annually and supports over two million jobs. The commercial fishing is the bulk of this,¶ generating $103 billion in sales, $44 billion in income, and supporting 1.5 million jobs.¶ Recreational fishing, is no small contributor, however, generating $82 billion in sales,¶ $24 billion in income, and supporting 534,000 jobs.¶ 13¶ Pollution and spills from oil and gas rigs can harm fish stocks, but so can other activities¶ associated with off shore drilling. Following seismic activity, anglers and commercial¶ fisherman saw a dramatic drop in the number of fish eggs, adult fish, and shellfish larvae¶ in the area. Trawl catch declined from 50 to 70 percent, and long line catch declined by¶ 44 percent. This was especially alarming because of the endangered status of some¶ populations, and because of the fish’s inability to detect and avoid damaging low-frequency noise caused by seismic shooting.

coastal tourism is key to the economy-offshore drilling destroys it

Sierra Club ’09 (Sierra Club, America's largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, 8-09, “Don’t Rig Our Coastal Economy,” www.sierraclub.org/habitat/downloads/2009-08-coasts.pdf)

THE ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF OUR BEACHES¶ America’s beaches are a powerful workhorse for our¶ national economy. Although coastal areas make up less¶ than one-fifth of the land area of the contiguous 48 states,¶ they account for more than half of the nation’s population¶ and housing supply. By 2008 it was estimated that¶ approximately half of the U.S. population, 160 million,¶ would live in 673 coastal counties, including the Great¶ Lakes.¶ 11¶ Annual tourist visits to all of America’s¶ federal and state parks, recreational¶ areas, and public lands combined still do¶ not match visits to our beaches. This¶ means that in the minds of vacationers,¶ beaches far outweigh even our most¶ iconic destinations such as Yellowstone¶ National Park, Disneyland, or Las¶ Vegas. Coastal states receive about 85¶ percent of the nation’s total tourism¶ revenue--largely because of the¶ popularity of beaches.¶ 12¶ They are far and¶ away the biggest draw for both domestic¶ and foreign tourists.

offshore drilling devastates critical ocean economies

Danson ’09 (TED DANSON, a longtime ocean activist and a member of the Board of Directors of Oceana, 2-11-09, “OFFSHORE DRILLING:¶ ENVIRONMENTAL AND¶ COMMERCIAL PERSPECTIVES¶ OVERSIGHT HEARING¶ before the¶ COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES¶ U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,” http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CHRG-111hhrg47302/html/CHRG-111hhrg47302.htm)

Oil and water don't mix. Our oceans give essential protein ¶ to nearly half the world's population. In the U.S., ¶ recreational and commercial fisheries combined supply over 2 ¶ million jobs. On top of that, coastal tourism provides 28.3 ¶ million jobs, and annually generates $54 billion in goods and ¶ services.¶ Ecosystems are disrupted, top to bottom, by the short- and ¶ long-term effects of oil. More oil spills mean less abundant ¶ oceans; more oil spills mean fewer wonderful, pristine beaches; ¶ more oil spills mean fewer jobs.¶ While not intentional, spills do happen. And according to ¶ the National Academy of Sciences, no current cleanup methods ¶ remove more than a small fraction of oil spilled in the marine ¶ waters, especially in the presence of broken ice.¶ Approximately 120 million gallons of oil end up in the ¶ world's oceans every year from oil platforms, marine ¶ transportation, vessel discharges, and accidents. The impacts ¶ of oil on fish and other wildlife are numerous and well own. ¶ Ingesting oil is usually lethal, and long-term exposures can ¶ result in serious problems, such as reduced reproduction and ¶ organ damage.

offshore drilling hurts local economies and environments

Gatti ’10 (Dan Gatti, an environmental policy analyst at Environment America, 5-4-10, “In defense of a moratorium on offshore oil drilling,” http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2010/05/in_defense_of_a_moratorium_on.html)

3) A moratorium on offshore drilling might, however, make a huge difference to the lives of millions of Americans who live on the coasts of California, South Carolina, Maryland, or Florida, who do not want to suffer the horrendous damage to the environment and local economy currently being experienced by the residents of Louisiana and Mississippi.

even small oil spills devastate coastal regions

BBC News, 11-19-02, “Oil spill: Consequences for wildlife,” http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/2491965.stm

At the coast¶ When the oil reaches coastal waters, it wreaks far more damage on fragile ecosystems, some of them vital to local human economies.¶ While much of the coastline of this part of Spain is rocky, there are sheltered inlets, or seas, mudflats and saltmarshes which are particularly vulnerable.¶ Robin Law says: "With fuel oil, when it reaches shallow waters, quite a bit will pick up sand and sink. ¶ "Every time there is a storm, fuel oil is released out of the sand again."¶ Particularly under threat are filter-feeders - shellfish such as mussels - which live in this mud or sand.¶ They may simply be smothered by the oil as it settles, or suffocated by the oil as they try to pass tainted water through their delicate gills and feeding apparatus.¶ It is possible for shellfish to be tainted by the toxicity of the oil over periods of years. ¶ This has severe implications for not only the shellfish populations themselves, but the creatures, including birds and humans, which feed on them.¶ A good example of this happening is a relatively small spill of fuel oil in Buzzard's Bay, US, in 1969.¶ This caused tainting of shellfish which was persistent many years after the incident.¶ While the rocky shore may be cleaned relatively quickly by storms and normal wave action, the tranquillity of the seas could delay this yet further.¶ Even saltmarsh plants, if severely oiled, can take up to a decade to recover fully.¶ According to Robin Law, efforts to clean up sensitive areas such as this can be as damaging as the oil itself. ¶ Experts say the balance of nature on north-west Spain's rocky shores could be damaged by the spill.¶ Nature's repair work¶ Dr Paul Gilliland, a marine policy adviser with English Nature, says subtle changes could take years to correct themselves.

Brink - travel and tourism

travel and tourism on brink now

Houston ’08 (James R. Houston, the Director of the Army Corp of Engineers’ Engineer Research and Development Center’s Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory, Summer 2008, “The economic value of beaches – A 2008 update,” Shore & Beach 76.3, google it)

U.S BEGINNING TO LOSE LEAD¶ In the early 1990s the U.S. was domi-nant in world travel and tourism. The¶ U.S. Travel and Tourism Administration¶ (1993) noted, “There is probably no¶ country in the world that has a greater¶ comparative advantage in tourism than¶ the United States.” The Wall Street Jour-nal(1994) noted the U.S. domination of¶ world travel and tourism, saying the U.S.¶ receives over 45 percent of the developed¶ world’s travel-and-tourism revenues and¶ 60 percent of its profits. However, when¶ a new Congress swept in in 1996, it abol-ished the U.S. Travel and Tourism Ad-ministration, whose primary function was¶ marketing U.S. tourism internationally.¶ The National Oceanic and Atmospheric¶ Administration (1998) noted as a result¶ of the abolishment, “The U.S. is (the)¶ only country in the developed world¶ without a government-funded National¶ Tourism Office and (it) bodes badly for¶ the country’s future tourism growth.”¶ The decline of the U.S. travel and¶ tourism industry started playing out in¶ earnest in the 1990s. America’s share of¶ the global inbound tourism market has¶ dropped 35 percent since 1993. The U.S.¶ has lost 18% of its international market¶ share in just five years. The significant¶ drop in international tourists has cost the¶ American economy $286 billion in the¶ last 13 years including $44 billion in¶ 2005 (National Tour Association 2007).¶ There is a world economy in tourism¶ that gives consumers ample choices and¶ produces stiff worldwide competition for¶ tourists. If Florida beaches become run¶ down, German tourists can choose Span-ish beaches. If Hawaiian beaches decline,¶ Japanese tourists can choose Australia’s¶ Gold Coast. In fact, there is evidence that¶ international tourists are shifting away¶ from the U.S. Waikiki beaches are se-verely eroded, and the number of Japa-nese tourists visiting Hawaii is down 36%¶ from 1997 to 2006 (Hawaii Department¶ of Business, Economic Development,¶ and Tourism 2006). In contrast, the num-ber of international tourists visiting the¶ restored beaches of Australia’s Gold¶ Coast has been increasing by about 5%¶ annually (Tourism Queensland 2007).¶ This worldwide competition is well¶ recognized outside the U.S. For example,¶ Houston (1996) noted that in the mid-1990s the U.S. spent only $16.3 million¶ in advertising to its international tourist¶ markets, and this compared to Spain’s¶ $170 million in advertising (Washington¶ Post1995). The U.S. ranks 33¶ rd¶ in the¶ world in international tourism advertise-ment, trailing Malaysia and Tunisia,¶ (Brooks 1995), spending less than 4% of¶ what Greece spends and 5% of what¶ Spain spends (National Tour Association¶ 2007). India spends four times as much¶ advertising to international tourists than¶ does the U.S. (National Tour Association¶ 2007). Ireland spent 180 times more per¶ capita on tourism advertisement than the¶ U.S (National Oceanic and Atmospheric¶ Administration 1998).¶ However, even¶ this minimal U.S. spending of $16.3 mil-lion on advertisement to international¶ tourist markets was eliminated when¶ Congress abolished the U.S. Travel and¶ Tourism Administration in 1996. The¶ U.S. currently has no nationally-funded¶ tourism advertising while countries such¶ as Australia, Canada, France, Greece,¶ Singapore, and Spain each spend $100¶ million or more annually on international¶ marketing (Brooks 1995; Hotel-online¶ 1998; Balzer 1998).

AT: Drilling good for the Economy – Beaches Outweigh

damage to coastal economies outweighs benefits of offshore drilling

Moriarty ’11 (Jim Moriarty, the CEO of The Surfrider Foundation, a grassroots non-profit environmental organization that works to protect and preserve the world's oceans, waves, and beaches, 1-14-11, “The Economic Case Against Offshore Drilling,” http://www.theinertia.com/politics/the-economic-case-against-offshore-drilling/)

Let’s start by establishing the value of the coastlines we’re talking about in the United States. Coastal tourism in CA, FL, NY, NJ and WA alone account for $129 billion dollars in leisure and hospitality companies, services and jobs. Fishing from both coasts accounts for $11.8 billion and $1.9 billion in recreational and commercial fishing respectively.¶ If we stripped away the political rhetoric and solely looked at offshore drilling with economic lenses we’d see that it doesn’t make good business sense.¶ We know the most expensive property is coastal. A house near or on the coast is worth much more than a comparable house away from the coast.¶ This summer’s horrific BP spill delivered an economic hit that will be in the billions of dollars to the Gulf Coast.

tourism and fishing industries outweigh offshore drilling-doesn’t create jobs

Hebert ’09 (Evan H Josef Hebert, a Energy Reporter with The Associated Press, 2-11-09, “Activists push for offshore energy drilling ban,” Associated Press Financial Wire, Lexis)

At a House hearing, Philippe Cousteau, grandson of legendary ocean explorer Jacques 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.¶ "It's absolutely critical for the health of the oceans," said Cousteau, a board member of the advocacy group Ocean Conservancy. "Oil spills still occur."¶ Actor Ted Danson, a founder and board member of Oceana, an ocean advocacy group, said offshore drilling is "flirting with disaster" because of potential oil spills not only at drilling rigs, but in transporting the oil produced.¶ Danson said the country should be moving away from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources such as offshore wind and energy from tidal waves because of the threats of climate change, which he said is another threat to ocean health.¶ Tourism and fishing industry spokesmen from North Carolina, Florida and California said they are worried offshore drilling would impact billions of dollars a year fishing and tourism industries.¶ "We cannot afford any kind of spill. ... We can't take the risk," D.T. Minich, executive director of the St. Petersburg/Clearwater, Fla. visitor's bureau, told the House panel.¶ W.F. "Zeek" Grader Jr., executive director of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Association, said he's not so worried about spills, but that exploratory seismic activities and drilling rigs would "kill fish... scare fish and make it impossible for fishing operations to be held."¶ But Jefferson Angers, president of the Center for Coastal Conservation in Louisiana said: "The fishing and oil and gas industries have coexisted in Louisiana for half a century and they've worked well together."¶ On restoring the broad moratorium, "it may be the ship has already sailed," said Rahall, adding that the issue is, "do we need buffer areas, do we need certain areas off limits?"¶ Rep. Doc Hastings of Washington, the House Resources Committee's top Republican, countered that expanded offshore drilling is "about creating good American jobs" and reducing the nation's dependence on foreign oil and the OPEC oil cartel.¶ But energy experts acknowledge that any new offshore oil development would do little to spur short-term job creation and that it would take years for new leases to be issued and another 5 to 7 years before oil would begin to flow from any new discoveries.