Your LNG article on the proposed gas terminals last week raised many questions but didn’t cover the whole story. However, it was very narrow-minded. It only addressed one LNG proposal when there are many in our region that threaten our community.
As a representative of CACE Malibu (Citizens Against Crystal Energy) and a long-time environmental advocate, I believe it is important to look at the big picture in addition to targeting one project. According to public record, many of the same questions (the ones about Cabrillo Port) have been raised about the proposed Crystal Energy project, which is “really” off the coast of Malibu. It is an existing old oil-drilling platform that has far fewer hoops to go through till it will be approved.
Crystal Energy is proposing to use the old oil-drilling platform Grace (off the Malibu Coast) as an LNG receiving and regasification terminal, in addition to an oil drilling platform and a fish farm. This would make the old environmental offender (Platform Grace) a triple use platform! Imagine what would happen if there was an explosion on the platform? And an explosion or leak is possible! How can we trust the use of this platform when just this past December 2004, there was an oil leak on Platform Gail (located just north of the proposed Crystal terminal) that caused the evacuation of 39 people? The company (Venoco) responsible for that oil leak is a partner in this Crystal Energy Clearwater Port project. They own Platform Grace.
Platform Grace is also situated along a busy shipping lane, which increases the chances of a potential collision and an explosion. According to State Lands Commission documents, the Crystal Energy project already has leases to move forward with oil drilling on it. We can’t forget about the LNG, but we should be equally worried about the potential oil drilling and its impact on the environment!
This proposal is dangerous all around and it deserves your attention. Remember this proposal is steps ahead of others since its platform is already built! And guess what, you can see it on a clear day or night, right off our coast.
Bob Hattoy
Citizens Against Crystal Ene