'Bill would prohibit off-shore drilling

Eureka Reporter

U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (D-St. Helena) announced in a news release Tuesday that he has introduced legislation that will permanently prohibit oil and gas drilling off of Northern California's outer continental shelf.

The Northern California Ocean and Coastal Protection Act â€" HR 2758 â€" provides protection to the unique and productive marine environments of Mendocino, Humboldt and Del Norte counties, according to the release.

"Northern California's coast brings biological and economic benefits to the entire country," Thompson stated in the release. "It's critical that we permanently protect this unique area from the environmental hazards of off-shore drilling."

According to the release, the West Coast represents one of four major upwelling regions in the world that supports extremely abundant and productive marine life, which brings cold, nutrient-rich waters up from the ocean depths that, when combined with sunlight, enhance seaweed and phytoplankton growth.

The seaweed and phytoplankton provide energy for some of the most productive ecosystems in the world, including many of the world's most important fisheries, such as the North Coast fisheries.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, while upwelling regions make up only 1 percent of the world's oceans, they contribute to approximately half the world's fish catch.

Thompson raises the concern that drilling for gas and oil off the northern coast of California could cause serious harm to the unique and productive ecosystem and abundant marine life found off the coast, including the fish many local North Coast economies depend on.