By Anna Real
Staff Writer
Hermosa citizens should vote against oil drilling in the March 3 election because it creates an unsafe environment for Hermosa residents and has high risks of contaminating the ocean and disturbing the Hermosa Beach community.
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the construction of oil drills emits diesel fumes and other toxins into the air. Air pollution increases the risk of asthma attacks, bronchitis, heart attacks, heart failure, headaches and cardiac arrhythmia. The possible profits are not worth these high health risks.
According to the California Emergency Management Agency HazMat records, E&B has spilled almost 16,000 gallons of toxic fluid into the ocean over the past six years alone.
If the drilling project is approved, it would be the largest project attempted by the inept company. Residents should be wary of allowing this company to drill for oil after its unreliable past.
Additionally, it is not certain that the company will find as much oil through its drilling endeavor as it has currently accounted for. Three studies have been conducted to find evidence of oil in Hermosa, and all of them have contradicted one another, showing the uncertainty regarding the actual amount of extractable oil in Hermosa Beach. It would be imprudent for residents to take such great risks without the certainty of finding a large oil reserve.
In addition to health and safety risks, drilling oil would cause a great disturbance for Hermosa citizens. Drilling equipment is notoriously loud, and the construction site is also located next to the Green Belt, which could disrupt the path that has been an integral part of Hermosa for years.
According to the Chicago Tribute, in areas where the noise is low to moderate, the values of homes decline by one to five percent. Additionally, the construction odors and the eventual structures could potentially lower property values in the area.
Though it may be difficult to pay off the debt to E&B, being forced into an imprudent decision by a company with financial leverage holds a dangerous precedent. The finances of the city should not dictate the safety precautions taken.
The city should avoid setting this precedent even if this means raising taxes or implementing temporarily inconvenient measures. According to the United States Census data, the median household income in Hermosa is about $40,000 more than the average in the rest of Califonia. Because Hermosa is an affluent community, it can afford the possible minimal tax hikes.
According to the Hermosa city manager Tom Bakaly, Hermosa’s good credit and current budget reserves put it in a good position to pay off the debt without a chance of bankruptcy. Currently, the city has $6 million reserved in its budget, which could be used to pay off part of its debt to E&B. These funds would reduce the impact of the debt on the city.
Today, with an increased focus on being environmentally friendly, oil is growing outdated. Hermosa Beach should not invest in such backward forms of energy.
Paying back E&B Oil is an achievable though formidable process, and the community does not need to worry about the financial security, or possible bankruptcy, of the city. Oil drilling in Hermosa is both risky and destructive to the community. Residents should vote against this plan, even if it involves taking financially demanding measures.
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