***These letters were drafted during my time volunteering for the VALCV, a political body whose sole purpose is to work with any and all office-holders to preserve the environment, regardless of party affiliation.***
The first was a form-letter to be signed and submitted to the office of Secretary of the Interior, Ryan Zinke. It was subsequently distributed to volunteers:
Secretary Ryan Zinke,
I sincerely implore you not to allow offshore drilling to occur off the east coast, as the consequences of such a venture will be incredibly dire for both the environment and the local populace. As we have seen over the 20th and 21st centuries, the transportation of oil, on land and at sea, is easily prone to spilling and other disasters, and the surrounding areas take several years to recover. Here are just some of the risks and repercussions of this potential pipeline:
- Construction and drilling will disrupt the breeding of fish, which is already severely threatened on a global scale. Compounded with overfishing, the east coast (and the world) may eventually lose one of its vital food sources.
- It will contribute to an already critical level of carbon pollution. Human survival in the future will greatly depend on how we treat our atmosphere in the present.
- The local tourism industries of the east coast (including Virginia) will be at risk, as the natural beauty of our beaches will diminish as industry grows.
- Should a crisis arise as a result of offshore drilling, the American taxpayer and local businesses will be largely left with the financial strain to recover from any damages.
Offshore drilling will not strengthen our economy or improve the lives of your constituents. It will only threaten the stability of local communities, while the oil industry gives nothing back to them. When you consider allowing drilling in our area, please remember the Deepwater Horizon incident and the shockwaves it created for the ecosystems and communities of the Gulf Coast.
Sincerely,
Name:
Address:
Phone:
The second was a letter to the Editor of the Richmond Times-Dispatch. In it, I respond to an editorial urging Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe to curtail any possibility of oil-drilling off the coast of the state:
Editor, Richmond Times-Dispatch,
I recently read Bruce Thompson’s article on why Governor McAuliffe ought to join the coalition of state representatives and governors in opposing offshore drilling. Protecting the local interests of local businesses and the jobs they provide for the community is certainly an important aspect of the fight against Big Oil’s one-sided interests. Just as industrial endeavors have an impact on local ecosystems, the local economy can be affected as well.
When industrial companies wish to expand their affluence in new areas, they often employ the logical rhetoric that by allowing them to build facilities and deregulating their practices, the benefits will be passed on to the local populace. Job creation, cheaper goods such as gasoline, and tax revenue for the state or county are common selling points.
However, as Thompson points out, the environmental impact of industries such as oil can harm local businesses indirectly. Tourism for places like Virginia Beach is a crucial resource for income and job growth. As Americans, I feel it is very easy for us to lose sight of what brings vitality to a community in the calculus of business interests.
There is no clear-cut value one can assign to the beauty of nature or what it provides for the people living in it. I truly hope that our governor takes time to consider what he may be permitting Virginia to lose versus what it will gain from a cut of Big Oil’s operation.
Sincerely,
Cyrus Kingdom
The article and my letter on RTD, if you’re interested:
