Senate Swap on Offshore Oil
McCarthy deserves high marks for his successful effort to stop plans in Washington to accelerate Southern California offshore Oil Lease Sale 95. Now the Interior Department’s plans to offer most of California’s coastal waters to the oil industry can be reviewed and reevaluated by the next Administration.
Recent newspaper accounts of events in Washington suggest that McCarthy may have tried to protect California in exchange for countenancing oil drilling in Alaska’s Bristol Bay. Nothing could be further from the truth. McCarthy is opposed to accelerated leasing proposals wherever they may be suggested. He has specifically expressed his opposition to drilling in Bristol Bay. It would be completely inconsistent with McCarthy’s energy philosophy to suggest otherwise. I ought to know. As chairman of the California Coastal Commission (1982-1985) I had occasion to deal with him on energy matters.
MELVIN L. NUTTER
Long Beach
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